


The Meaning of Heroes

by wesleyfanfiction_archivist



Category: Angel: the Series
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-05-09
Updated: 2007-05-08
Packaged: 2018-07-12 09:07:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 97,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7095817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wesleyfanfiction_archivist/pseuds/wesleyfanfiction_archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Wesley is attacked and Connor is kidnapped, Fred and Giles rally to his side to help him recover, leading to the formation of a deep bond between the three of them and a new life for Wesley and Fred.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Versaphile, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [WesleyFanfiction.net](http://fanlore.org/wiki/WesleyFanFiction.Net). Deciding that it needed to have a more long-term home, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in February 2016. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact the e-mail address on [WesleyFanfiction.net collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/wesleyfanfiction/profile).

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This amazing story was actually co-authored by a wonderful and talented friend named Lara. And I have had a blast writing this with her. 

__________________________________________

 

Rupert Giles set the phone down with a frown. That had been a call he hadn’t expected to get. Poor Wesley. The younger man had been trying to do the right thing, for Angel and for Connor. Now Connor was missing, taken into another dimension by Daniel Holtz, and Wesley was nowhere to be found. This girl—Fred, he could hear the worry in her voice but also something else. He knew Angel well enough to know that things would not bode well for Wes if the vampire found him first. He needed to go there, needed to be there for Wesley, and possibly Fred since he wasn’t sure what the others would do to her when they found out she had called them.

He wasn’t looking forward to facing the vampire again, but at least it was better than the mockery his life had become now. Watcher to a bloody bot that had not a shred of the life and vitality of the girl whose face she wore.

Grabbing the cordless, he went upstairs into the loft and began to pack. He packed light – a bag of clothes and a small bag of weapons. Going to his bookshelves, he removed the yearbook from the kid’s graduation. He flipped through the pages until his eyes fell on the section reserved for prom pictures. He smiled sadly, seeing the picture of himself and Wesley, standing by the refreshment table. Tearing the picture out, he pocketed it.

Now...who to call? He knew Dawn and Willow might not understand his need to leave for a bit. They didn’t realize how miserable he was with the way things were at the moment. Tara, he thought with a smile. Dialing the number to Buffy’s, he waited.

“H—hello?” the shy voice answered. He thought she might. She had been carrying most of the load, looking after all of them as best she could. The girl had such a giving heart, putting her own pain aside to help them through theirs.

“Tara? Listen. I didn’t want to alarm anyone by my disappearance, but I need to go to L.A. for a bit. A friend is in a spot of trouble and needs my help. I wanted to let someone know, in case of emergency. Dawn still has the keys to my flat, so if you need any books that you can’t find at the Magic Box, you can most likely find them here,” he explained.

“Okay,” the girl replied softly. “How long will you be gone?”

“I’m not entirely certain. It seems to be a rather sizable mess. I’ll take my cell. As soon as I find out where I’ll be staying, I’ll call you and give you the information.” He smiled when she made a noise of surprise. She knew he despised that cell phone, so if he was taking it, it must be bad.

“Is...is your friend all right?” She asked.

“Honestly, I don’t know. He’s missing, and I need to find him before someone else does. I expect I’ll be gone a few weeks minimally. Have Spike and that blasted bucket of bolts keep patrolling. Tell Dawn that I still expect her to do her homework without me standing over her shoulder. If she lets her marks fall, I will know about it. And I’ll need you and Willow to be there for her. If you have any questions, you can call my cell. I’ll be a bit busy, so if I don’t answer, leave a message, and I’ll call you back.” He picked up his bags from the bed, and took them downstairs. “I have to get going, Tara. Time is of the essence. I’ll keep in touch.” He smiled. “Bye.”

Hanging up the receiver, he grabbed his leather jacket and slid it on. He tucked a few stakes inside, as well as a large dagger. Giles eyed his katana, debating on taking it or not, then mentally shrugged, knowing he didn’t really have the time. Picking it up, he grabbed both of his bags and deposited them in the boot of his car. Behind the wheel, he calculated his route and speed, knowing he could be in LA in just under three hours. Then he started the car and backed out of his spot while sending a silent prayer up for Wesley’s safety.

 

*****

Fred felt like she was going lose it soon. Justine thought Wesley was dead. The bitch had done something to him and thought he was dead, and if she had killed him, Fred was going to track her down and do much more than give her a bloody nose because she knew how to build things – things that could cut a person in half – and even though she didn’t like the idea of killing people, she would definitely make an exception for Justine, the bitch who had hurt Wesley, possibly even killed him.

“We already checked around his apartment,” Gunn complained as he pulled out in front of Wesley’s building again. “Even went dumpster diving. He’s not here.”

“She did something to him. He’s gotta be around here.” Before the truck had even come to a stop, she jumped out and looked around. Then, not even caring that it was late at night, she started yelling, “Wesley! Wesley, can you hear me?”

Without waiting for an answer, she ran into the park, suddenly realizing that she and Charles hadn’t bothered to check it before and ready to kick herself for it. She continued to yell his name as she moved further into the park, circling around a tree, praying to find—suddenly, her eyes fell upon a dark shape slumped behind a group of bushes, and her heart fell into her stomach.

“Wesley!” she screamed again, running over and dropping to the ground next to him. Please be alive. Please be alive. Pleasepleasepleaseplease, she repeated to herself silently as she rolled him over. As she did, she looked down at her hand and saw it was covered in blood – he was completely covered in blood. Oh, god, the bitch had slit his throat. Justine had slit his throat and left him to die, and she had gotten there too late. “Oh, God, no.”

“Fred?”

She didn’t answer Charles. Instead, she pressed her blood-covered hand to Wesley’s throat and practically cried in relief when she felt a weak but still there pulse. He was alive.

“Call an ambulance!” she yelled. Oh, thank god, he’s still alive.

It seemed to take forever for the ambulance to arrive as she sat with Wesley on the ground, holding her hands to his neck, trying to staunch the flow of blood, knowing it probably was useless but having to try anyway. Gunn tried to pull her away several times, telling her there was nothing they could do, that she was endangering herself and making herself a vampire beacon, but she didn’t care. She wasn’t going to let him go. She wasn’t going to let him die alone if he was going to die, and she wasn’t going to let him die.

When the ambulance finally did show up, she finally allowed Gunn to pull her away. They watched as the paramedics loaded him into the rig, working on him to stop the bleeding.

“We have to go to the hospital,” Fred said, in a tone that told Gunn she wouldn’t take no for an answer. So they got back into the pick-up and followed the ambulance all the way. Shaking, she reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone, punching up the number she had just programmed in that night. 

Giles was just entering the city limits when his cell phone rang. Keeping one hand on the wheel, he reached into his pocket and withdrew the tiny item. He grumbled, having a hard time getting it opened with one hand but, after a few rings, managing it. “Hello?”

“Giles, it’s Fred. We’ve found him. And it’s bad. Really, really bad.”

His brow furrowed in concern at the sound of her voice, more than her words. “I’ve just passed the city limits. Tell me what hospital they’ve taken him to, and I’ll meet you there in roughly thirty minutes. Possibly less.” He debated on whether to call on a spell to shield him from the police and really test the limits of the BMW’s engine. 

Fred thought for a moment, trying to remember the hospital that the paramedics had yelled to them before taking off. “St. Patricia’s. It’s not far from where Wesley lives.” She took a deep breath, wanting the ambulance to just get there, so they could help him. He couldn’t die. This was Wesley. He couldn’t die. He had been trying to help – he had been trying to save Connor and Angel. He couldn’t let that bitch win.

“I know where it is.” He glanced down at his watch. “I should be there in about fifteen minutes.” Then he heard the shakiness in her breathing and felt obligated to try to help her. This was the woman his friend loved with every fiber of his being. “Don’t worry, Fred, Wesley’s strong...and I happen to know, from personal experience, stubborn as a mule,” he added in a slightly lighter tone. “He’ll make it. He won’t give up without one hell of a fight.”

He sighed, wondering if he should keep her on the phone to try and take her mind off of her worry, but then decided against it. Wesley deserved to have people worry about him. And everything he had heard from the younger man regarding Fred was turning out to be true.

“I’ll see you there. Thank you, for calling me,” he told her sincerely.

“Thank you for coming down,” she whispered back. “I’ll see you there. Wesley needs all the friends he can get.” Without bothering to explain further, she said goodbye to Giles and hung up the phone, noticing Charles’ eyes flicking her direction even though he was trying to concentrate on keeping up with the ambulance.

“Who was that?”

“A friend of Wesley’s from Sunnydale. I found his number at the apartment in with his notes and called him while you were down checking the garage.

“A friend of English’s? You called a complete stranger and told him what was going on?”

She nodded. “Yeah, I did. Figured he might have known what had happened. And he’s on his way now and is gonna meet us at the hospital.”

Before they could say discuss the situation any further, they finally reached St. Patricia’s. While Gunn went to park the truck, Fred jumped out and followed the paramedics as they wheeled Wesley into the emergency room. They took him back into one of the trauma rooms. One of the nurses kept her outside, trying to talk to her and asking her for information. She could barely keep track of what she was saying – his name, his age, what she knew about what had happened – because she kept looking into the room, trying to see what was going on. Charles appeared at some point though she wasn’t sure when.

Suddenly, she saw something happening. They were pushing the gurney Wesley was on toward the door, which swung open.

“What’s going on?!” she asked.

“We’re taking him to surgery,” someone answered before they disappeared down the corridor.

Fred looked back helplessly toward the nurse, who told her, “The operating rooms are on the second floor. I’ll have someone show you the way.”

Suddenly, Gunn grabbed her arm. “You’re not seriously thinking of staying are you?”

“This is Wesley, of course, I am!” she said.

“But Fred, he’s—.”

“Hurt! And that’s all I care about right now. He needs us here!”

 

*****

Giles’ car came to a screeching halt in the handicap space closest to the door. He knew he shouldn’t condone Willow’s habit of hacking official organizations’ websites to get them easier access, but in this case, it allowed him to park fast and get inside. After slapping the handicap decal on the edge of his window, he jumped out of the car and ran into the hospital. He was about to ask at the desk where Wesley was but came to a stop dead in his tracks. At the end of the hall, a large dark man had his hand around a petite woman’s arm and was holding on tight despite her attempts to pull away. Must be Gunn, he thought, recognizing him from Wesley’s description. He already didn’t like the pillock.

He walked toward them, his green eyes flashing dangerously. “Is there a problem here?” he asked with only a slight edge in his voice.

Gunn glanced over at the man who had intruded. “Just a private conversation between me and my girl here. I’d thank you not to get involved.”

Definitely Gunn. Wanker needed to be taken down a rung – or ten. So this was the man Wesley had given a lot for. “A man of roughly six-four decides to manhandle a woman a quarter of his size? Consider me involved,” Giles warned. “And last I checked, human beings belonged to themselves first. If she wants to stay, she stays. Touch her again the way you are now, and...well, let’s just say it’s a good thing we’re in a hospital.”

Fred was hugely surprised when the man stepped in and got involved in her fight with Charles. Then, as soon as he began speaking, she had realized who he was. The accent was a tip-off, of course, but his manner more than anything else told her that this man was a Watcher and someone who dealt with the same evils they did. In any event, his interference allowed her to pull herself away from Gunn’s grip. She decided to deal with him before introducing herself to the new arrival and thanking him for what he had done. “I’m going upstairs. You can go home if you want, but I’m staying until he’s out of surgery and wakes up.”

“You’re not even the least bit upset at what he did? He took Connor! He believed in a fake prophecy and decked Lorne and took Connor! You think Angel is gonna forgive him after that? You think any of us should? He lied to us!”

Giles felt a growl work up from his chest at the younger man’s tone when he talked about Wesley. “You’re a bloody fool,” he told him, shaking his head in annoyance. Turning his attention to Fred momentarily, he still kept his body coiled, ready for an attack from Gunn. Bullies were all the same. “Hello, Fred. What do you say we go up together,” he smiled warmly, making sure to keep the other man in his peripheral vision.

She smiled at him, stepping over to him and away from Charles. “Nice to finally meet you, Giles,” she said, holding out her hand to shake his. She almost had to laugh when she saw Gunn’s face at her knowing the other man’s name. “I’m not sure how long he’s going to be in surgery, but I want to be up there when he gets out.”

“Fred!” Gunn balked.

“Look, Charles, I’m not going to say this again – you can come up with us or go home. Either way, I’m staying here.”

Giles smiled at that. Wesley was right, she had a big heart. In many ways, she reminded him of Willow – both were women who by all outward appearances seemed a bit on the mousey side, but the power and depth of caring which lay underneath was phenomenal. He wasn’t a fool, and he’d be willing to bet that she wasn’t either. She undoubtedly knew her determination to stay here for Wesley would have repercussions with the others. And still she wanted to stay. He wanted to shake her hand, but when she extended it, it was coated in dried blood. His eyes filled with concern.

“Is that Wesley’s blood?” he asked worriedly. He could tell by the look in her eyes that she had forgotten it was there. “Come on. Once we figure out where we can wait, we’ll get that cleaned off.”

His voice had been gentle and soothing when directed at Fred, but when Charles Gunn opened his mouth to protest once again, it took that same hard edge. “You heard the lady, Charles. Now either come upstairs or sod off. Personally, I don’t care what you choose.”

“You’re making a mistake,” Gunn pointed out. “When Angel finds out...”

“Angel can go to hell,” he growled.

Fred shook her head, knowing that they weren’t going to get anywhere with him. “Let’s just go,” she said to Giles quietly.

“You’re all bloody hypocrites,” he added, nodding when Fred started moving.

Leaving Charles behind to decide what he wanted to do, they headed in the direction the nurses and doctors had taken Wesley’s gurney earlier. A nurse pointed them to the elevators that would take them to the second floor, and while they waited, Fred finally looked down at herself. Now she understood why Giles had looked at her the way he did – she had hadn’t realized how much blood was on her hands and her shirt.

Wesley’s blood.

“Oh, God,” she whispered.

He could see the shock building in her eyes as she stared down at herself. “Fred, hang on.”

He jogged over to the Nurse’s station and got her a hospital scrub top to change into. Tucking it under his arm, he then returned and gently touched her elbow, leading her to the elevator.

“He’s gonna be okay, isn’t he? He lost so much blood, Giles. There was so much of it on the ground when I found him, and all I could think about was holding it in and keeping him from losing anymore because I couldn’t let him die. I don’t want him to die.”

His heart went out to her. She was definitely in shock now. He couldn’t help Wesley until he was out of surgery, but he could help Fred. It would be what his friend wanted. “Fred, I’ve known Wesley for about four years. He’s stubborn. If he was hanging on when you found him, he’ll pull through. I’ll be in L.A. for a while to get him back on his feet. I would welcome your help if you wish to give it, but I also understand if you can’t.”

She wanted to believe him – after all, she had heard stories from the others about how much Wesley had been through and survived. Getting hit, getting shot, getting kidnapped. She knew he was strong. But she had seen the blood. He was unbelievably lucky that a vampire hadn’t smelled it and come to turn him into a feast.

When they stepped out of the elevator, he stopped when they neared the restroom. Opening the door, he put the scrub top on a hook. “Fred, here. Why don’t you wash your hands and change your top? I’ll wait for you.”

“Thank you,” she said before going into the bathroom.

Giles waved off her thanks with a sad smile. He was concerned for her, knowing that what she was feeling now, it would come on fast, and she wouldn’t be able to stop it. He sighed when she closed the door. Wesley might be the one fighting for his life, physically...but Fred was fighting for hers, emotionally. Both of them would need him in one way or another.

After locking the door, she stared at herself in the mirror for a moment – her hair was everywhere in wild curls and she looked like a raccoon with the circles underneath her eyes – she tugged her shirt off over her head and dropped it to the floor, forcing herself not to look at it again. Instead, she set to work cleaning the blood of her hands and arms. The red water washed down the drain, swirling like it was any other type of water, and not Wesley’s blood.

Suddenly feeling her stomach revolt and unable to stop it, she quickly twisted and dropped to her knees to grab the toilet, tears running down her face as she threw up.

Outside, Giles tilted his head to the side, hearing the sounds of retching. Looking both ways, he removed two picks from his pocket, sliding them into the lock. At least there was some advantage to his deviant teenage years. He smiled when he heard the lock click easily. He silently moved into the bathroom, taking care not to be seen, then closed the door behind him and locked it. His brow furrowing in concern, he squatted down next to the helpless girl on the floor. “Easy, just let it come... don’t fight it,” he murmured, placing a hand on her back to offer some sort of comfort.

Fred jumped a bit when the hand fell on her back and looked up at Giles in surprise. “God, look at me. Wesley’s in the operating room fighting for his life, and I’m in here crying like...like I don’t know what.”

“You’re crying like someone terrified for their friend. It’s not a crime, Fred,” he explained, reaching into his pocket for a handkerchief and passing it to her.

She held up her hands, which were now streaked just a bit with red. “I just—when I saw it going down the drain...I couldn’t...Wesley was the one that took care of me when I—when we came back...when Angel left. I just realized that. He was the one that took care of me, and now I feel so helpless ‘cause I can’t help him or take care of him. We have to wait and—I don’t like it.”

He put a finger under her chin and lifted her eyes to meet his. “You did help him, you found him. You weren’t willing to stop looking despite what that wanker downstairs said. Now, at least, he has a good chance...because of you.” He sighed, knowing that he should explain in some part what he knew. “I knew about the prophecy. He wanted me to double check his translation, no doubt praying I would tell him he had got it wrong.”

“Oh God, Giles, why didn’t he tell us what was going on? I would’ve helped him. He should’ve told us, but he didn’t, and now he could die because of that bitch.”

He looked to the side when she asked that. “Would you have? Would Charles have even let you? Wesley has told me about all of you...you in particular. He said he tried to get you involved, but any time he would give Charles an assignment, the pillock would insist on taking you along, twisting the knife even deeper in his gut. A dog only has to be kicked so many times before they stop trying.”

“You’re saying that Charles...?” she whispered, feeling like she was going to be sick again. “He was trying to keep me away from Wesley? From helping him?” Thinking back on everything that had happened the last few weeks, the whirl of emotions, being in a new relationship, working on all the cases that Charles had taken her with him on, keeping her too busy and distracted to actually talk to Wesley—Oh, God, how could she have been so stupid?

“I didn’t know.” Her mouth felt dry, not to mention disgusting from the aftertaste of the bile. “I didn’t know. After everything that happened, I didn’t...I wasn’t sure he...and Charles was...” Freed from slavery, and she was still letting people—letting Charles treat her like something to boss around and control. “I made a horrible mistake, Giles. I should never have...” Kissed Charles... “Let it get this far. I should have realized. God, I hope Wesley can forgive me.”

“We always forgive those we love.” He reached up and tucked a stray curl behind her ear. “He loves you enough to want you to be happy, even if that wasn’t with him,” he explained.

He didn’t want to tell her anymore. The rest should be Wesley’s to tell, but it was clear that this Charles Gunn had been looking for some sort of trophy in his relationship with the thin woman in front of him. And he was angry not only for Fred but also for Wesley. That was one situation he couldn’t allow to stand. Standing, he extended a hand to her, helping her to her feet slowly.

“I hope he will,” she replied softly. The revelation that Wesley loved her was both surprising and not. She couldn’t explain it – somehow she had convinced herself that he wasn’t interested in her in that way and had ignored her own feelings. Why? She wasn’t sure. Maybe because she wanted to convince herself that being with Gunn was all right because he actually wanted her.

Apparently, he wasn’t the only one. She and Wesley would have a lot to talk about once he recovered.

“Come on,” he said, gently. “Why don’t you finish getting cleaned up, and we’ll go check on him.”

Suddenly, she realized that she standing there in a front of a man she had known a scant few minutes in nothing but her bra and jeans. Somehow, though, she didn’t feel embarrassed or exposed. Turning back to the sink, she finished cleaning up while Giles waited, washing away the last of the blood then splashing her face and rinsing out her mouth. When she turned to get the scrub top, Giles handed it to her, having taken it down from the hook. She quickly pulled it on over her head before picking up her discarded blouse and dumped it in the biohazard bin. “Okay...I’m ready...I think.”

“Come on, then. Let’s go check on our boy.”

He placed his hand on her back and led her out of the bathroom. It took them about five minutes of following the signs to find the waiting area for the operating rooms. He escorted Fred to a seat and was about to take the one next to her but looked up as he saw the door open. Someone he could only assume was a doctor approached the waiting area.

“Fred.” He nodded with his head as the doctor moved toward them.

“Are you here for Mister Wyndam-Pryce?” the woman asked.

“Yes, how is he?” Giles asked, frowning when the woman sighed.

“He’ll make it. We had to go in and repair his vocal cords. And he’ll be weak for a day or two from the blood loss. But he’ll live. He’s not to talk for at least a week.” She broke off when she saw a ghost of a smile pass the man’s lips.

“I’m sorry, but you’d have to know Wesley to know why I find that amusing. He’s going to hate it,” Giles explained. 

“Hate it or not, he must comply, or he could bust the stitches and begin bleeding. Once he’s home, he’ll have to stick to soft foods for at least a month, nothing that can scratch his throat. He needs someone there to keep an eye on him,” the doctor insisted.

“He’ll have me. I’ll be staying with him until he’s back at full health.”

“Good, we’re moving him to a private room, in about fifteen minutes. He should come out of the anesthetic soon. If the two of you wait here, you can walk down with us,” she offered. “Are you family?”

Giles didn’t miss a beat. “Yes. Wesley is my half-brother, and Miss Burkle is his fiancée,” he lied, having been in hospitals enough to know why the doctor was asking.

Fred was surprised when he referred to her as Wesley’s fiancée but knew well enough to let it go. Charles was going to hate it; however, if it was the only way they’d be allowed to stay with Wesley past visiting hours, she didn’t care. In fact, she definitely didn’t care what Charles thought about anything anymore. All she cared about was that fact that Wesley was going to survive and that he was going to need them. She wasn’t planning on going anywhere until he was better. And possibly not even then. It was going to be a long hard recovery – especially if he couldn’t talk – but at least he was going all right.

“All right, the two of you may stay. I’ll arrange for a cot to be moved into his room. One of you will have to take the couch. Any friends will be restricted to visiting hours.” She looked at the man and woman, giving them a nod before turning and heading back through the doors she had just come from.

Once they were alone, Fred turned to Giles and impulsively threw her arms around him, giving him a hug. “He’s going to be okay. Oh, thank god.” She found herself crying again. “I’m so glad he’s gonna be all right.”

Giles hadn’t expected her to hug him, but when she did, he wrapped his arms around her, tamping down on the instinct to curl himself around her. He smiled, now understanding what Wesley felt when they had first brought her home. There was something about Fred that made you want to protect her. He began rubbing soothing circles on her back.

“Shhhhh, it’s all right. We’ll take care of him, and he’ll be right as rain in no time.” He had been used to dealing with crying women. Dawn, Willow—his heart constricted when he thought about his beloved Buffy. He needed something to distract him from the pain, the loneliness. But was that why he was really here? He told himself no. He genuinely cared what happened to Wesley. The friendship they had developed over the last two years was strong and important to him.

“Hey,” he rested his chin on Fred’s head. “I only brought one handkerchief, and at this rate we’ll have to wring it out,” he teased. “He’s going to be all right; that’s no cause for tears, is it?” 

She found herself laughing – even though it was a bit watery – at that. “I know. Can’t help it sometimes. I think I kept it in for so long, for so many years, that now sometimes I just switch on like a water faucet.”

The way he was rubbing her back was doing wonders to relax her, and for the first time in weeks, she realized how tense she had been about everything. It felt nice being held like this – no strings and no pushing. Resting her head against Giles’ chest, she sighed softly, glad she had called him. She didn’t think either she or Wesley would have been able to get through this without his help. Not if they had to deal with the others.

“I’ll have to remember that. And to pocket an extra handkerchief.”

He chuckled, partially at his attempt to tease her but mostly in relief. His friend would live to fight another day. Giles had no illusions that Wesley would just spring back. After the physical healing would come the emotional. He knew the other man would be harboring a lot of guilt and pain for what he would believe was failing – failing Angel, failing his friends...but most of all, failing young Connor. He knew a bit more about Wesley’s past than the others. The younger man could stand up to any demon in the world, except the ones within himself, the ones put there by his father.

He was drawn from his thoughts by a voice, causing him to instantly relax his hold around Fred. “Um...excuse me,” the female doctor said from behind them. Fred turned around in his arms. “We’re moving Mister Wyndam-Pryce now if you’d like to come with us.”

“Yes,” he replied, leaving his arm over Fred’s shoulders as they followed the bed being wheeled down the hall.

Wesley was hooked up to all kinds of tubing, an IV in each arm. Giles could clearly see that one was infusing blood. He mentally kicked himself. Of course it was infusing blood. With the amount Fred had had on her, he could only imagine how much had been lost on the ground. Hopefully, that one could be removed soon.

“Is he...?” Giles shook his head, trying to gather his thoughts. He didn’t want to say the wrong thing and set Fred off again. “How much more?” he asked the doctor, nodding to the blood bag.

“Oh,” the doctor replied, catching his meaning. “We gave him two pints during surgery. This is his last one. We should be able to disconnect it in about 40 minutes.”

As the orderlies turned into a room, Giles could feel the tension in Fred’s shoulders and felt guilty that he had to hold her back while the orderlies made Wesley comfortable. When they were finished, they left immediately, so only the doctor remained.

“Thank you, doctor. He’s...he’s important to us,” Giles replied, letting go of Fred so she could move to Wesley’s side.

“It was my pleasure. It’ll take some time, but he’ll be okay,” the doctor reassured him with a smile. Giles shook her hand and waited for her to exit.

“Fred? Will you stay here with him? It’s been a bit of a drive. I thought since we were going to be here for awhile, I might go get us some coffee,” he suggested softly. 

She nodded at that, realizing that she couldn’t remember now how long she had been awake. “That sounds good, thanks.”

Once he had left, she looked down at Wesley, picking up his limp hand and holding it in hers. He felt cold, but at least he was alive. “I’m here, Wesley,” she told him, hoping that he could hear her even though he had woken up yet. “I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere, and you’re gonna be fine. Giles and I are going to make sure of that.”

Leaning down, she kissed him on his forehead and then crossed over to the cot, intending just to sit down and watch over him. She found herself suddenly exhausted, however, and before long, her eyes fell close as she sat, leaning against the wall.

On the bed, eyelids fluttered before blue eyes opened, accompanied by a whisper of a groan, and looked up at the white ceiling. Wesley suspected he was in hospital but didn’t understand how he got there. Looking around the room only brought more confusion until his eyes fell on the slight form asleep on a cot. What was Fred doing there? Had she been the one that found him? His insides twisted, preparing for her to wake up and tell him how much she hated him, how much he had screwed up. He closed his eyes against the pain, a pain that had nothing to do with the wound on his neck. When he finally opened them again, his heart nearly stopped upon seeing Angel in the doorway. His breath caught in his chest, waiting to see what the vampire would do. 

“Hey Wes,” Angel began, moving a little closer to the bed.

Gunn slipped into the room behind Angel and crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing when he saw Fred dozing on the cot in the corner. He considered going over and waking her up but decided to leave it. She’d probably wake up soon anyway. He’d told her this wasn’t going to be good, and now she was going find out how much. When he had called Angel to let him know what had happened, his friend had practically growled into the phone before slamming the receiver down.

Wesley,” Angel drew out his name, smiling gently at the look of fear in the other man’s eyes. “We found your notes, by the way. ‘The Father will kill the son,’ I mean...come on.” The vampire’s smile grew slightly when he noticed Wesley clutch the blanket with one of his hands. “You know this is me, right? Angel.” He nodded when the other man did. “You took my son, Wes, and now, he’s with Holtz in some hell dimension because you stole him from me.”

His dark eyes narrowed when he saw Wesley look away in shame. He walked closer to the bed, drawing the other man’s attention back to him.

“I just wanted you to know that it’s me. Because...” With lighting quick reflexes, he yanked the pillow out from under Wesley’s head and pressed it over his face. “I’m going to kill you! You take my son and think for one second I would forgive you for that?! Never!” he shouted, holding the pillow down harder.

Fred woke up with a gasp upon hearing the commotion across the room. She was disoriented for a moment but then realized that Angel was standing there, yelling at Wesley. And holding a pillow over his face! He was trying to smother Wesley! He was trying to kill him!

“What the hell are you doing!” she screamed, jumping up and running over to the bed. “Stop, Angel! You’re gonna kill him! Someone help! Help us!”

She tried to grab his hands and pulled them away, but Angel was too strong. Continuing to scream for help, she looked over and noticed Gunn standing there. Just watching.

“Charles, get help! He’s going to kill him! Help me! Angel! Stop!”

Giles heard the screams coming from down the hall and dropped the coffee, taking off on a run. Just as he rounded the corner into the room, an orderly came flying out the door, skidding onto his back. It took all of half a second to realize what was happening. He knew he wouldn’t be strong enough to remove an enraged vampire. He needed to cut through the rage. And the easiest way he could think of to do that was with pain. Sliding the knife out of his pocket, he wrapped one arm around Angel’s neck from behind and plunged the knife into his back. When Angel instinctively recoiled, he used all of his strength, fueled by his own anger, to spin the vampire away, throwing him out into the hall. Quickly taking up a stand in the doorway, he concealed the knife, glaring down at the vampire on the floor. 

“You come near him again, I’ll kill you.” Giles growled. “Take your lackey and get out of here. Wesley is under my protection.” 

“Giles?!” Angel gasped, looking up into the face that still haunted his dreams. He was no fool. Wesley might have been a joke of a Watcher, but the man in front of him certainly was not. “You don’t understand. He...”

“I know what he did. And I mean what I said. You touch a hair on his head again, I’ll bring him your head.” Giles was breathing hard, his fists clenched at his sides, waiting to see what Angel would do.

Fred watched in amazement as Giles quickly got Angel away from Wesley and out of the room, but then her attention was on the gasping man in the bed. She didn’t care at that moment whether Giles dusted Angel or not. Instead, she leaned over Wesley, laying a hand on his chest and another on his forehead, her fingers gently stroking over him.

“It’s okay,” she whispered to him. “He’s gone. You’re going to be all right. We won’t let him hurt you. Just calm down. I know it’s hard to breath, so you need to calm down, okay?”

Suddenly, she became aware that someone was watching her from the back of the room. Turning her head, she saw Charles watching them.

“Get the hell out of here,” she hissed. “You almost let him kill Wesley. I never want to see you again.”

“Fred...” he said, stepping forward.

“Get. Out!” With that, she turned back to Wesley, continuing to stroke his head and face.

“You heard her, get out. And take this thing with you.” Giles stepped back to glare at Charles Gunn without taking his attention off of the vampire. “If either of you comes back, I’ll assume you’re here to finish the job, and I’ll end both of you,” he warned, feeling his magic coiling in his body. This always happened when he got this angry. He tended to strike out physically to feed the power’s need for carnage.

He spared a glance toward the bed to see Fred trying her best to calm Wesley, the other man’s gasps pulling at his heart. “Is he all right?” he asked, returning his attention to the two threats in the area. If Fred said anything in the negative, he would strike fast and hard.

“He should be. As soon as they leave,” she told him. She could see that he was about ready to pounce on both of them if they made a move, so she hoped they would just take the hint and leave.

“I’m not leaving here without you, Fred!” Gunn announced, starting to move forward toward her.

Fred immediately tensed and backed toward the wall, never taking her hand away from Wesley. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

The second the man took another step toward the bed, Giles’ hand clamped around his wrist. In the blink of an eye, he swept Gunn’s feet out from underneath him and restrained his arm so that he would feel the full impact of the floor hitting him in the face. Once they were on the floor, he pressed his knee to the back of the other man’s neck. 

“You heard the lady – she wants to stay. Now, you can leave under your own power, or you can be transferred to another room. It’s your choice,” he informed him, letting Ripper off his leash a bit.

For a moment, Gunn wasn’t sure how the hell he had ended up where he was, his nose impacting with floor. Then he realized that Giles had knocked him down, and part of him wanted to immediately fight back, but then the knee – at least he thought it was a knee – dug into his neck, pushing him down closer to the floor, and he knew he wasn’t going to get out of this in one piece if he tried anything. Damn, but the old guy had some moves.

“All right, all right,” he said. “I give. We’re out of here.”

Giles got up slowly, positioning himself between Gunn and Wesley and Fred. He was still seething, but putting this cocky bastard down on his face had calmed him somewhat. He could feel his magicks receding. He could also hear that Wesley’s breath was starting to even out, which served to calm him even further. 

“I don’t want to see either of you here again. If I catch you lurking around Wesley’s flat once he’s home, I’ll assume the same,” he managed through clenched teeth.

Gunn glanced over at Angel, who was standing out in the hall, a bit hunched over. Then he looked over at Fred and shook his head. “You made the wrong choice, babe.”

“Don’t think so,” she responded, watching as he shrugged and then walked out of the room. Neither she nor Giles said anything until Angel and Gunn had disappeared down the hall. “I think we’d better make sure neither of them can get back in here.” She then looked down at Wesley and saw that he had finally calmed down and was breathing normally again. “Hey, there. I bet that wasn’t the greatest thing to wake up to, huh? Doctor said you’re going to be okay, but you shouldn’t try to talk for at least a week.”

“Pillock!” Giles grumbled before his face softened when he turned toward the pair on the bed. Taking a few steps forward, he smiled down at the younger man. “Hello Wesley,” he greeted, chuckling at the surprised look on his face. Wesley tried to speak, but he placed his finger over the younger man’s lips. “You heard her, no talking for at least a week. You bust a stitch, and you’ll be in here longer.” He couldn’t help but smile at the younger man’s clear frustration. “I’ll get you a note pad from the hospital gift shop later.”

Wesley was shocked to see Giles there. But in a way, he wasn’t. The men had become close friends over the last two years. For a moment, he wondered how Giles knew to come. But then it occurred to him that Fred had stayed. She must have called him. He glanced over at the woman still touching his face, love and thankfulness shining in his blue eyes. Reaching out both hands, he placed one over Giles’ and one over Fred’s and gave them a gentle squeeze.

Fred smiled at Wesley’s hand tightened around hers – hers and Giles’. “You gave us such a scare there. You may want to know, though – I decked the bitch who did this to you.” She saw the looks of surprise on both Wesley’s and Giles’ faces and suddenly felt herself flushing what must have been a very bright red. “It was the best I could do. I didn’t have my crossbow with me.”

“Good thing for her, I suppose,” Giles laughed. It was good to see Wesley smile as well. He didn’t do that nearly enough. “Silly me, and here I was thinking you were the meek one,” he teased, before turning his attention back to the man on the bed. He pushed a few stray curls of hair back off his forehead before speaking. “Now, I’ll be here until you get yourself back on your feet. I would assume the doctors will want to keep you a few days for observation. I’ll be here the entire time.” He smirked. “The hospital staff thinks I’m your half brother and Fred is your fiancée. It was the only way they would allow us to stay. The one advantage it also affords is we have the authority to keep Angel and Gunn from getting in here again.”

Wesley looked over at Fred, shocked that she had agreed with the charade. ‘You’re staying?’ he mouthed.

“Of course, I am,” she told him. “I know why you did what you did – you thought Connor was in danger from Angel, and you were trying to save them both. Giles told me you contacted him about the prophecy. I wish you could have told me about it. I’m sorry you weren’t able to. I would have helped if I had known – no matter what Charles would have done.” She sighed, looking over at Giles for a moment, remembering what he had told her in the bathroom, about why Wesley hadn’t. “But we’ll talk more about that later. In the meantime, I’m not going anywhere. I’m afraid you’re stuck with me ‘cause I don’t think I’m going to be welcome back at the Hyperion any time soon either.”

Wesley nodded slightly, finding himself looking away in shame once more. The intention might have been to save Angel and Connor, but the result was disastrous. And now the boy was lost. He looked up when Giles sat on the edge of the bed, and touched his chin. Blue eyes met green as the older man spoke.

“Listen to me, Wesley, because I’m only going to say this once. Your father is a git, and you are not him,” he told the younger man sternly. When Wes tried to look away, he gripped his chin tighter, holding his gaze. Giles arched an eyebrow at him as if he were daring him to contradict. He smiled when he saw Wesley acquiesce, but what pleased him most was Fred’s determination to stand by him. “I don’t think Wesley will mind a lodger. Especially when it’s you.”

As Giles gave him a smirk, Wesley looked up at Fred, lifting his hand to press and hold hers to his cheek. He then closed his eyes, reveling in the feeling. He didn’t understand how something so fantastic could come out of such a tragedy. Finally opening his eyes again, he met her dark gaze and nodded his agreement with Giles.

“Good,” she said, relieved by Wesley’s response because she honestly wouldn’t have known what to do if for some reason, he had decided to turn her away. She found herself moving closer to him. Part of her was just glad that he was alive, but another part of her – the part of her that had been distraught when he had pulled away from her after the incident with Billy’s blood – simply delighted at touching him like this. Giles had said he loved her and now she knew for certain that he was right. She wanted to wrap herself around him and hold him close and never let him go. “You should rest now. You’ve been through a lot.”

Wesley tried to play it off as a shrug at her last statement and gave an exasperated sigh when Giles called him on it. He watched the other man stand to dump his leather jacket off the couch. Parts of him that he had long thought buried flared to life. His eyes moved over the strong body, broad shoulders, and trim stomach. And without his jacket, Wesley could see exactly how well the jeans hugged his legs. He snorted at his own foolish behavior, knowing that it was the painkillers knocking down all of his resolve. He had no defenses against either of the people in this room, and for the first time in his life, he didn’t care. They were here, with him...for him. That made the embarrassment that colored his cheeks worth it.

Fred suddenly felt Wesley’s cheek warming under her hand and narrowed her eyes, looking at him in the dim light. “Wes, are you all right? You look like you’re turning red. Is everything okay?” She glanced from him over to Giles in confusion.

Wesley’s eyes widened in shock, and the resulting gasp hurt his throat. He winced but forced himself to look back at Fred. ‘Fine,’ he mouthed, but his next breath sounded raspy. He felt Giles return to the edge of the bed, placing a hand in the middle of his chest, trying to soothe. He had to resist the urge to glare at the older man. His touch was making his current problem worse. 

“Wes?” Giles asked, watching the younger man’s face. For some reason Wesley couldn’t meet his eyes. The Watcher’s own eyes widened in surprise when he realized that Wesley seemed to be embarrassed. Allowing his eyes to travel the length of the bed, he chuckled when he saw the confirmation and decided to tease Wes a little more. “Do you need a time out, young man?”

Fred was confused for a moment as to what was going on, looking from Wesley to Giles and back. Then she followed Giles’ gaze and felt her eyes widen in astonishment. Was he...? He was! She didn’t know what to say or how to react. The thing was, she didn’t know – was she causing this or was...Giles? “Um, Wesley, I thought I told you that you needed to rest,” she told him lightly.

Wesley lifted his hand to cover his eyes, uttering a groan that came out more like a whisper. Now that he had thoroughly humiliated himself and disgusted the only two people that were there for him, they would probably leave. And truthfully, he wouldn’t blame them if they did. 

“Wes...” Giles frowned when Wesley brushed his hand away. “Wesley.” He grabbed both wrists and held his hands down at his side. “It doesn’t matter,” he told him seriously, part of him wondering who Wesley’s reaction had been for. For some reason, when Wesley still wouldn’t look at him, he had his answer. “It’s all right. I’m not offended, and neither is Fred. We’re not going anywhere.”

“Of course we’re not,” she agreed, wondering why he would think either of them would be offended by something like that. It was biological reaction. It was awful or disgusting or offensive. Just a biological reaction. Although a part of her still wondered who it was for, considering the way he was reacting...

Did Wesley have a crush on Giles? Had something once happened between them? She found her mind running away with the possibilities, and she wasn’t sure whether she found that unsettling or...intriguing. And what did that mean about his feelings for her? Did she even have a right to even be wondering about that, considering that she had officially been dating Gunn up until about an hour before?

She suddenly realized that it was way too late for her to be having this kind of discussion with herself, especially after what they had all been through.

“It really is all right, Wesley,” she assured him with a smile and leaned down to kiss his forehead again. “Neither of us will leave just because you’re human.”

Wesley took a deep breath, his embarrassment beginning to subside at their reassurances. He glared down at his own body as if it were some sort of traitor. Fred wouldn’t understand, though. It wasn’t just a biological reaction. His reaction was tied to feelings that ran deep. But for now, they seemed to be letting him off the hook, so he decided to let it go. His brow furrowed when another thought flitted through his brain. He still couldn’t understand why Fred was here...not that he was complaining.

‘You don’t hate me?’ he mouthed, looking up at her. He knew Giles didn’t; they had made their peace a long time ago. But he didn’t think he could bear it if Fred did.

“Hate you?” she repeated in astonishment, uncertain that she had read his lips correctly. He actually thought that she could hate him for what happened? “Of course I don’t hate you. I could never hate. Even if I were to get mad at you, I couldn’t hate you.” She smiled at him and moved her hand up to run through his hair. “And before you ask, I’m not mad at you either. Now, how are we going to make you rest?”

“I’m pretty sure I know how,” a voice said from the doorway. Giles glanced over and laughed at the nurse standing there with a loaded syringe. “Sorry, Mr. Wyndam-Pryce, doctor’s orders. You need your sleep.”

She stepped next to the bed, removing the tubing from his right arm, leaving the left IV in.

“Especially given the excitement,” she added before moving to the other side of the bed. She injected the contents of the syringe slowly, smiling as Wesley’s eyelids started to get heavier. “Give him about two minutes, he’ll be out like a light,” she told the thin brunette in the room, before leaving.

Fred stood with Wesley, watching as his eyes drooped lower and lower. “Don’t worry. We’ll be here when you wake up, honest. You sleep.”

Finally, his eyes fell completely closed and his breathing even out even though it sounded a bit labored because of the tube. She stayed where she was for a few more moments until she was sure he definitely asleep and then gently extricated herself from him, crossing back over to the cot and dropping down with a heavy sigh.

Giles moved to stand once he was certain Wesley was asleep. He cast a concerned glance at Fred. Poor thing was exhausted.

She rubbed her neck for a moment. “I...almost don’t know what do with myself now. I feel like I want to close my eyes and just sleep for a week or something, but I don’t know if I could because I almost feel like I’d be leaving him alone if I were to do that even though I’m here.” She sighed for a moment. “By the way, you’ll notice I tend to ramble when I’m tired or scared or happy or angry... actually, any time really. I’m just going to apologize now if I manage to irritate you with that, okay?”

She knew of course why she was rambling now, but then again, she didn’t exactly know how to bring up some of the questions she did have. And of course, she was pretty sure this wasn’t the place to be asking anyway.

“I know. But he’ll be out for a few hours. He won’t begrudge you getting some rest,” Giles told her, his voice soothing. When she began rambling, she reminded him very much of Willow in her early days especially, which caused him to smile. “And it’s all right, I assure you. I think I’ve developed an immunity. One of my young friends in Sunnydale has a tendency to babble under stress. She’s been doing it for five years, and I’m none the worse for wear.” He moved to the couch in the room, sitting down on the edge so that Fred was still fairly close. “I...I would imagine you have some questions.”

Fred’s eyes widened as she glanced at him then looked down at her feet. Not answering for a moment, she curled herself up on the cot, grabbing the blanket that the nurse had provided and wrapping it around her shoulders. “I—I don’t even know how to ask the questions that are going through my mind at the moment, which would probably amuse my former professors to no end after the question hell I used to put them through in class.” She bit her bottom lip and tried to decide how to phrase it. She liked Giles – felt really comfortable around him – but this was a bit weird in a way because she was about to ask him something really pretty personal after having only known him a short time. “You said...in the bathroom...that Wesley loved me, but his—his reaction...that wasn’t because of me, was it?”

“Fred,” Giles sighed, trying to work out his answer in his head before he uttered a word to her. “Honestly, I don’t know. I suppose I should ask if Cordelia and the others told you about Buffy?” He smiled at her nod. “Until she...until she died...”

He took a deep breath, pushing past the pain.

“I was her Watcher. I guided her and did everything I could to try and protect her. About four years ago, the Watcher’s council sacked me. Said I cared for her too much. A ‘Father’s Love’ was what they called it. Wesley was sent as my replacement. He was so green and inexperienced, it was almost laughable. The children, still loyal to me, gave him hell. They went out of their way to laugh at his mistakes and were the first to call him on when he was wrong. It wasn’t until he came to L.A. that it occurred to me that he had been used by the Council just like I was. I think they were hoping he would get both Slayers killed – and probably himself – and then they could start over fresh with a Slayer they could control.

“I was impressed the first night he called me. I didn’t think he had it in him, but he’d mustered up enough courage to call a man he believed despised him. I thought I at least owed it to him to hear him out. Over the last two years, we’ve become friends. Good friends. So to answer your question, I suppose Wesley and I do have a history, but it’s not that kind of history. For myself, you could say I’m bisexual although I prefer women. I don’t know if Wesley ever felt the same, but I was never willing to risk the friendship we had built to find out. Never doubt, he loves you.”

Nodding slowly, she tried to take all that in. So the images that had been appearing in her head had obviously never happened – and suddenly, she wasn’t sure whether she was relieved or disappointed by that. It was a strange feeling, something she had never really thought of before.

“Guess it’s something we have to ask Wesley when he’s more up to answering those kind of questions – if he ever does, of course.” She looked across to the bed where Wesley slept, the heart monitor beeping rhythmically, then back at Giles. “I—I’m sorry about your—about Buffy, what happened to her, I mean. We were told what happened right after they—the others, Wesley and the others, brought me back from Pylea. I know Wesley was upset to hear what had happened even though he stayed with me while Cordy and Angel...while they went to Sunnydale for the...funeral.”

“Thank you,” he replied softly, his voice thickening with emotion a bit before he cleared his throat. “I don’t think I would have got through that with my sanity intact if it hadn’t been for Wesley’s phone calls. All of our friends – ‘The Scooby Gang’ as Xander has dubbed us—they were all leaning on me to help them through. And I think I was more lost than they were.” He looked at the man sleeping on the bed, the fondness in his eyes. “He called every night, sometimes twice a day, making sure I was all right. I think without those calls, the grief would have just built up and swallowed me whole. That’s why it was so important to be here for him now.” He turned his attention back to Fred. “I realize that Charles and Angel are you friends as well. But I meant what I said, if they come for him again, they will die.”

The edge in his voice caused Fred to swallow hard. After what she had seen earlier, she knew he would do it, too. But was really surprised her was the fact that she didn’t blame him one bit for it. “I have a feeling that they’re no longer my friends – not after what happened. I made my choice tonight, Giles, when I decided to stay here with both of you. My relationship with Charles is definitely through, and Angel...” She found tears collecting in her eyes. “Angel was my hero once – the handsome man come to save me from the demons that made my life hell. But tonight, I watched him try to kill a friend, and I realized...my hero wasn’t who I thought it was.”

“Yes,” Giles snorted. “Angel has that effect on people. I’ve always thought it doesn’t take a hero to swing a sword or get into a fight. I’ve always tried to teach the kids that real heroes are the ones that watch your back, both physically and emotionally. Those of us in Sunnydale, we’ve been through hell and back, sometimes literally. But through it all, we’ve been there for each other. And until I draw my last breath, I’ll believe every one of those kids is a hero.”

He suddenly scowled a bit as he continued, “Angel is a git. If he was doing what he does by choice, I might actually respect him more, but he’s not. He’s selfish, and he’s just trying to make the best out of this curse so he doesn’t have a few thousand more lives on his bloody conscience. If I had to go into battle tomorrow, I’d take any of my kids or Wesley to watch my back before I took Angel. They’re worth a thousand of him.”

“I’m beginning to see that,” she murmured, suddenly understanding Wesley a lot more.

Wesley, always the quiet one working his butt off day and night to figure out what was going on, always standing back while Angel got the accolades. Wesley, who was the one she helped so they could return from Pylea and was the one who came up with the plan so they could free all the slaves and stop the Priests in order for them to have the opportunity to get out of there in first place. And Wesley, the one who patiently watched over her while she traded one cave for another and waited for her flashy hero to return from wherever he had gone, who never uttered one word of complaint at all her questions and funny little requests and who brought her an endless supply of tacos.

Reaching out, she found Giles’ hand and squeezed it gently with a soft smile, her eyes starting to feel gritty and heavy. “I’m really glad you came down. It’s nice to have someone who knows Wesley so well here.”

Smiling sheepishly, he ducked his head to hide his embarrassment. “He needs someone who can see both sides of this argument and still do the right thing. Do I think it’s fair Connor ended up in a demon hell? No. And I’m sure Wesley will try to take all of the blame for it himself. But we have to make sure he realizes that his fault ended when that woman cut his throat. The rest wasn’t his responsibility.” He looked up at her, still holding her hand. “He needs you too. I can see why he would get so frustrated seeing the others treat you like spun glass. You have a fire in you, Fred, and I think you proved that tonight.”

Standing up, he released her hand, to take her shoulders, and gently lay her back on the cot. “You, my dear, need to get some sleep. It will be easier for you to sleep when he does. I’ll stay up for a bit. I have to talk to the hospital staff about barring Angel and Charles.”

She knew he was right and let him push her back so her head was resting on the pillow at the end of the cot. “‘Kay...but you promise to rest too later. You did drive all the way down here from Sunnydale after all.” A huge yawn broke out across her face, and she closed her eyes. “Wake me up if anything...happens...”

“All right,” he told her, resisting the urge to tease her. Poor dear was falling asleep where she lay. He knew this kind of exhaustion. The physical strain wasn’t what exhausted you – it was the emotions, not knowing if the person you cared for was safe or not. He would turn in after he banned the other two.

In almost less time that it had taken for the sedative to work on Wesley, Fred had fallen asleep again, curled up under the blanket on the cot. Heading out into the hall, he stopped at the nurse’s station.

“Excuse me, is there some kind of report I can fill out to have those two men banned from the hospital? The one in black threatened my brother’s life.”

“Of course, sir, here you go.” She passed Giles the form, and he immediately took the pen and began filling it out. 

“If security can manage it, they can pull the men’s images from the security cameras on this floor, so they have pictures to go with the report.” He smiled at the nurse’s surprised look. “I saw the camera in Wesley’s room. Here you are.” He passed the completed form back to her.

“We’ll take care of it, sir.”

“Thank you.”

He returned to the room and stopped at Wesley’s bed, brushing the hair back of the younger man’s forehead. Going over to the couch, he cast one last glance at the sleeping Fred. Two people, so hurt by their surroundings. It felt good to be needed here. He would protect them both – with his life if he had to.

Lying back on the couch, he pulled his leather coat over himself. If either of them woke, he would be ready. He was a light sleeper anyway.

 

*****


	2. The Meaning of Heroes Ch 2

It had been an interesting morning. Wesley had woken up in lighter spirits, his eyes lighting up when he saw that Giles and Fred were still there. Knowing Wesley, he had probably thought the previous night had been a dream until that moment.

Giles didn’t think they were out of the woods by a long shot. He could still see the guilt over Connor in the lines of the younger man’s face. He had popped down to the gift shop to pick up several notepads for Wes, and the prospect of being able to communicate had distracted him from his guilt. A little bit. 

After talking for a while, it was decided that Fred should retrieve her things from the Hyperion. The sooner they cut ties completely, the better. Wes seemed worried about her safety but calmed when he realized Giles would be going with her. They waited for his afternoon nap when the nurse came with another sedative to help. Security was alerted and on watch for Angel and Gunn, so Giles just wanted to get this over with. He quietly led her out to his car, making certain to put the top down before tossing his jacket in the back seat. 

“You’ll have to direct me. I’ve never been there before,” he told her.

Hopefully this would be the last time Fred would ever see those hypocrites again. 

“It’s actually not too far from here. Turn left out of the main parking lot and go down to Broadway. Turn right, and then once you get to Goldenrod, turn left. You can’t miss it,” Fred said as climbed into the passenger seat and buckled her seatbelt.

She ran a hand through her hair, worried about going back there. Cordy was still probably on her holiday with Groo, which meant they would have to face Charles and Angel alone. Of course, if Cordy were there, she’d probably side with them anyway – after all, she and Angel...

“I just realized. Some of Wesley’s stuff is still there too. Some of his books and laptop and stuff. We should get that too,” she told him as they pulled out of the parking lot onto the main road. “And I don’t have much – just clothes and Feigenbaum and a few things my parents sent me.”

Suddenly, it hit her how easily it was going to be to remove themselves from the life she had just finally been getting comfortable with. Pack up a few things and leave. That simple. It seemed rather fitting, though, considering how quickly Angel and Charles seemed to be willing to dismiss Wesley from their lives. Actually, now that she thought about it, it seemed that they had been pushing him out in a way for a long while now, what with Angel’s focus on Connor and Cordelia and Gunn’s focus on...her.

“My life is changing again for the second time in less than a year,” she noted softly. “I thought the Hyperion was my new home and everyone there was my new family. That they all cared about everyone else. Guess I was wrong.”

Giles followed her directions, his heart going out to her. The fact that she was willing to do this made him respect her even more. Five years, in a demon dimension as a slave, and now she was voluntarily giving up the life she had rebuilt because it was right. It showed a strength of character that he hadn’t seen in some time.

“Do you know which things are Wesley’s?” he asked, nodding when she did. “I’ll need you to pack up his things as well. You’re right – we might as well take them. Knowing your friend Charles, he’d destroy them in a fit of pettiness. Although I do hope he keeps his fight with me.” Giles gave her a wry smile.

As they pulled onto the street, he noted how Fred’s form immediately tensed up. He parked the car out front and turned to face her.

“You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to. I know you’re not a fool; things will be said. If you just want to make me a list, I can retrieve your things while you wait in the car.” 

She shook her head. “I need to go in. If I don’t, I’d just be running away, and I’m sick of doing that. I did that for three years.” She looked up at the Hyperion, all the way to the blown out windows on the top floor, and took a deep breath, trying to prepare herself for what could happen. Twisting her head, she looked at Giles. “Let’s go.”

“Good girl,” he smiled, proud of her. He saw the determination in her eyes, and knew this young woman was special. She followed her heart and was prepared to deal with the fallout, no matter the consequences. He was determined to let her know she wasn’t alone. If necessary, he would be her shield. He knew he had a few things of his own he wanted to say to the three.

Opening the car door, she climbed out and stood on the pavement, waiting for him to circle around and join her. She was going to go in, but she wasn’t going to go in alone.

“I’ll follow your lead. And I’ll be there if you need me,” Giles told her as they walked up the sidewalk. He reached out and held open the door for her, allowing her to go through first but making it a point to be right behind her.

Fred nodded and walked into the Hyperion lobby, feeling her heart thumping loudly in her chest. If anything was going to alert Angel to the fact that they were there, she had no doubt that it was going to be that. The lobby was deserted when they first walked in, but she knew it wasn’t going to remain that way for long.

And she was right. As she and Giles walked down the steps, Charles appeared from the back office, his eyes narrowing when he saw them and his hand going up to rub the back of his neck.

“What’re you doing here?” he asked. “Thought you weren’t going to leave Wesley’s side for nothing.”

“We came to pick up my and Wesley’s stuff,” she told him, straightening up and staring at him, almost daring him to try something.

“Fred...”

“I don’t wanna hear it. I don’t care. You knew what Angel would probably do, and you called him and told him where Wesley was.” She almost had to laugh when she saw his face. “Yeah, Charles, I figured it out. How else could he have found out? You said yourself he was going to be pissed, and you called him anyway. So just stay away from me.”

“Now are you going to be a good boy? Or am I going to have to put you on your face again?” Giles asked with a smirk. “Go ahead, Fred. Why don’t you get Wesley’s things from the office first?” He wanted her where he could see her as long as Angel wasn’t in sight. In the mood he was in, he wanted somebody to start something.

And just as he thought that, Angel came down the stairs, stopping to blink at who was standing in the lobby. A feral growl erupted from the vampire’s chest, and his fists were clenched as he walked the rest of the way down. “Giles, I can’t believe you would...”

“Would what, Angel? Still care about my friends even though they make mistakes?” he inquired with sarcasm dripping from his voice. “It must be nice to be so perfect that you never make a mistake. Oh, wait, your mistake mars my skin. You’re a bloody hypocrite and a selfish one to boot.”

“Connor was my son!” he snapped.

“And Jenny was my love. Do we really want to continue this conversation in front of innocents?!” He turned his head just slightly, catching Fred’s gaze. “Go on. Get his things,” he suggested, never losing sight of either man in the lobby. 

Fred walked slowly toward the office, glancing back at Giles and feeling her breath catching in her throat. She wasn’t going to be able to breath easily until they were done and out of there. The atmosphere was so claustrophobic – she hadn’t realized how much so it had become recently until now. When she reached the door, she had to squeeze herself by Charles, who refused to move, apparently wanting to make this as difficult for her as possible. As she did, his hand shot out to try to grab her arm, but the years on Pylea had taught her well, and she quickly ducked and twisted before he could get a hold on her.

“Don’t touch me,” she told him. “You gave up any right to that with what you did last night.”

When Giles saw Gunn reach for Fred, something inside of him snapped. He had already warned the man twice about putting his hands on her. And three strikes, he was out. In the blink of an eye, he was on him, gripping the younger man’s arm and twisting it around. Kicking his feet out from underneath him, he angled it just right until he heard the tell-tale snap of bone.

“I warned you, boy, about putting a hand on her. Do it again, and I’ll take the arm completely,” he growled before stepping back to allow the other man up.

“Giles!” 

“Tit for tat, Angel. Isn’t that the only thing you seem to understand? You come at one of mine, I take one of yours. Starting with him.” He nodded his head toward Gunn.

Inside the office, Fred grabbed a box that was sitting on the floor next to the book shelf and started putting Wesley’s belongings in it.

“Hey! I’m back!” a voice suddenly called out from the main doors, causing Fred to pause in what she was doing. Everyone looked over to see Cordelia and Groo walking in, both of them looking very tanned and tropical. “How is every—?” She stopped when she saw Giles and then the looks on everyone’s faces. “Wha—what the hell’s going on?”

He turned his head slightly upon hearing her. “Ah, Cordelia. Don’t worry. I have no illusions that you might actually see sense. I just brought Fred to collect her and Wesley’s belongings, then we’ll be on our way.” 

“Wesley’s and Fred’s—what are you talking about? Angel, will you please tell me what’s going on?”

Gunn groaned as he collapsed into the chair behind the reception desk, holding his arm. “Wesley stole Connor and let Holtz take him, and now they’re gone, and Fred and robo-Watcher here are siding with him! And I think you broke my arm!”

“Of course, I broke it,” Giles snapped back. “You’ve been warned not to touch Fred twice. Not to mention that little stunt you pulled to use Angel’s anger to do your dirty work. You’re lucky that’s all I broke.”

“Wha—he what?” Cordelia’s eyes opened wide in disbelief as she walked down the steps to stand next to Angel, putting her hand on his arm. “Wesley did that, and you guys are protecting him?”

“He didn’t let Holtz take him, you pillock. Tilting the story again so it works in your favor? Does Wesley really scare you that much?” Giles challenged. “There was a prophecy – ‘The father will kill the son.’ Wesley tried to disprove it, but at every turn it was being confirmed. As a last resort, thinking he was saving both Angel and Connor, he took the boy to his place, intending to leave town for a bit, but Justine cut Wesley’s throat and took Connor from him while he lay dying.” As he finished correcting the story, he scowled at Cordelia. “And yes, I am protecting him—both of them, considering Angel tried to suffocate him at Gunn’s insistence as he lay helpless in a hospital bed.”

He paused to eye her up for a moment. “As I said, I have no illusions of you seeing sense in this. We came to get their things, then we’ll be on our way.”

“Hey, now!” Cordelia tried to protest. “I don’t care what any prophecy might say – Angel would never hurt Connor! Wesley should know that!”

Pausing for a moment while placing Wesley’s laptop in the box in front of her, Fred snorted, realizing that the other woman had just proved Giles’ point for him.

“No, he shouldn’t have known that. I double checked the words myself; he translated everything correctly and tried to disprove it through several channels. Every one led him back to the prophecy being real. Do you think he wanted to believe that his friend was capable of that? Add the prophecy and the confirmations to Angel’s suspect behavior at the time, and I can see why he felt he had no other option. Why don’t you ask your precious vampire what happened to the boy after Holtz’s lieutenant slit Wesley’s throat.”

Fred shook her head as she listened to Giles putting everyone in their place before finishing packing Wesley’s stuff in the box and hefting it up to carry it out to Giles. “Here,” she said quietly once he was finished. “I think I can manage going up and getting my belongings from upstairs. Long as everyone else stays here.”

He took the box from her, his hard gaze turning gentle for a brief moment just for her while he gave her a nod. Just a little bit longer, and they would be free of this.

“Justine and Holtz, they had Connor,” Angel began, swallowing thickly. “Lilah was there with a Wolfram and Hart task force. When Sahjahn tore open a rift to Quor’Toth, I couldn’t take a chance on the Wolfram and Hart men shooting Connor. I let Holtz take him, and he ran through the rift.”

“Yes, I suspected as much. And then you tried to suffocate your best chance at getting into Quor’Toth to retrieve him,” Giles pointed out. “You think Wes isn’t taking full responsibility of this on himself? Oddly enough, though, it isn’t entirely his fault.”

“Sahjahn said—,” Angel began, but Giles cut him off. 

“News flash, Angel – demons have been known to lie. After two-hundred-fifty years on this earth, I would have thought you had learned that by now.” This conversation was growing tiresome. He was looking at three of the most selfish individuals he had ever known. The faster he got Fred out of here, the better. He jerked his head toward the staircase to indicate she should go get her stuff now, as quickly as possible. He would keep everyone else down here. 

Nodding, she hurried over to the stairs leading up to the second floor, feeling the eyes of everyone on her – one caring, the others accusing. How could she choose Wesley over them, she could practically hear the three of them yelling.

“Fred...” Cordelia started to say.

“Don’t even,” she responded as she reached the landing before disappearing down the hall. 

In her room, or what had been her room, Fred moved about quickly, pulling clothing out of the drawers and stuffing them into the bag her parents had sent. A few of the items were Cordy’s, things that she had lent her when she didn’t have any clothes of her own before they had had time to go shopping, so she decided to leave those, laying them out on the bed for them to find whenever. She then grabbed a few pictures from the group she had tacked on the wall. One of her and Wesley, one of her holding Connor, and one of her and Lorne. She left the rest. After sliding those into the bag with some books and her jewelry box, she picked up the stuffed rabbit sitting on the nightstand and stared at him.

“Master of Chaos, we certainly have that downstairs,” she whispered.

“Yeah, we do, don’t we?” a voice came from the door. She looked over to see Lorne standing there with the band-aid still across the small gash on his head from when Wesley had knocked him out. Of everyone in this mess, he was the one person who had a right to be pissed at Wesley for what he did. “I heard the yelling downstairs. Sounded like World War Three, so I decided to stay hidden up here.” Then he noticed the bag on the bed. “You’re leaving?”

She nodded. “I...you heard Wesley’s in the hospital? He was hurt really bad.”

“I heard. Makes Mount Bump-on-the-Forehead seem not so bad.”

“I don’t think he meant to hurt you, Lorne. He was doing what he thought was right.”

“I know. When he was singing, I just saw the ‘taking Connor’ part and reacted, and he did too. Been thinking more about what I saw beyond that, and I know he just wanted to help them. He never intended for what happened, but try telling the Livid Duo down there that and...” He sighed. “And you’re leaving.”

“I took Wesley’s side. I can’t stay here anymore.”

“I know. But where are you going to go?”

“Wesley’s friend Giles is downstairs. We’ll both stay with Wesley until he’s better.” She pulled her phone out of her pocket. “If you need to get in touch with me...”

“I’ll call,” he promised, walking over and giving her a hug. “I’m going to miss you, buttercup.”

“Are you going to stay here?”

“Don’t know. Don’t know what I’m going to do. There’s something bad coming, sugar. What happened to Wesley – the prophecy and everything—that was just the first part of it. And I don’t think they’re up to it down there.” He touched her cheek. “You take care of yourself. And Wesley. And tell him no hard feelings, ‘kay?”

She nodded and reached out to grab her bag while cradling Feigenbaum in her arms. “Bye, Lorne. I’m going to miss you too.”

Leaning over, she kissed his cheek and then hurried out of the room and back to the stairs to the lobby, where it she could hear Giles talking – obviously to Cordy and Angel – as she reached the landing. 

“This is truly rich – the two of you, playing happy family. Yes, what happened to Connor was unfortunate but not irreparable. Yet you condemn a man who has stood by you, fought with you and bled with you for trying to do right. Whether it worked out or not is irrelevant. No one is allowed to make mistakes but the two of you.” He glared at Cordelia when she looked like she was going to interrupt him. “And you especially, after making a wish that nearly sent an entire town to hell...all because you saw your sweetheart kiss another woman. I knew you were selfish, Cordelia, but to make all of us pay for your heartache with our lives? As least Wesley’s efforts were intended for someone else. Can you say the same?”

He turned his attention on Angel. “And you. You had your soul for over a century before you came to Sunnydale, but rather than look into it and discover its limitations, you brooded about it and blindly unleashed Angelus on the residents of Sunnydale, resulting in three deaths. And those are only the ones I know about. Both of you are hypocrites. You have no room to pass judgment on what Wesley did.”

Hurrying down the stairs, Fred circled around Cordy and Angel and glanced at Groo, who looked like he was ready to step in defend his princess’ honor at the next sign of a physical struggle. “I’m ready,” she said to Giles.

He looked up when he saw Fred approaching, giving her a nod. “Let’s go.” He picked up the box with Wesley’s things, allowing Fred to go out first. “You know, I’m glad you three were foolish enough to banish him—them. People around you, Angel, have short life spans. Now that they won’t be any longer, perhaps they stand a chance of living to see old age.”

As they walked through the door, Fred tried to keep herself from looking back, to just walk out and keep going, but she couldn’t help it. She turned her head and saw Angel and Cordy standing there with looks of disbelief on their faces, saw Gunn still sitting behind the reception desk, as pale as she had ever seen him. And a part of her felt sorry for them for the fact that they refused to understand and that something was coming that they didn’t know.

But she couldn’t let them control her life anymore, even if they had helped save her life. She had to start making her own choices, and right now, that meant leaving and going to Wesley and making sure that he got better. Perhaps they could help get Connor back – the baby really was the innocent in everything, and it would be for him, not them – but Wesley had to get better first.

Turning away, she walked with Giles back to the car and put her bag in the trunk when he opened it to stow Wesley’s box. Then as they pulled away, she glanced over the hotel and felt fairly sure that whatever happened, she’d never see the Hyperion again.

Giles’ hand gripped the steering wheel tight, knuckles white, his breathing slightly elevated. He was angry – angry for the two people who were now under his care. Sure, Wesley’s time with Angel had forced him to grow, but then most beings were able to advance over time. Of course, that was the problem. Angel and Cordelia, they never changed. Still self-involved and self-absorbed. And they never saw anything past the ends of their own noses. 

“Are you all right?” he finally asked Fred, relieved that the hard part was done. “I know that couldn’t have been easy for you, but I am proud of you, for doing what is right.”

His mind briefly wondered why she was doing this, whether it was out of guilt for the realization of all the things Wesley did for her. No, he quickly brushed that thought away. Repaying a debt would have been bringing him his things, maybe warning him about the vampire’s deadly mood. Fred was upending her own life because it was the right things to do. 

“I’m okay. Glad that’s over with. While I was upstairs, I spoke to Lorne—that’s a friend of ours. He’s an anagogic, used to run Caritas here in LA. He said he forgave Wesley and that he’d be in touch. So I’ve come through this with Wesley and at least one of my friends.”

“Yes, I remember Wesley mentioning him. He’s the demon whose homeworld you were sent to?” Giles smiled when she nodded, feeling himself starting to relax. “It would explain why the way you talk of him speaks of a deeper connection. Mutual dislike for Pylea, possibly? Well it’s good to see that one of them can be level-headed. Knowing that this Lorne isn’t holding any grudges might help Wesley immensely.”

“I hope so.” She looked down at her lap, at her hands, which she noticed she was wringing together. “You’re right, though, it’s not easy.”

“Hey,” he reached out a hand and took one of hers in his, trying to stop her nervous motions. “No, it’s not, regardless of whether you know this is right or not. You’ve upended your life, twice in less than a year. That takes an incredible amount of bravery. You should be proud of that.”

“I don’t feel like I did anything to be proud of. I just did what I had to do. I couldn’t leave Wesley. I couldn’t.” She looked over at him with a half smile. “But it’s done now. I’m with you guys all the way, no looking back.”

He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “It’s good to look forward. Both of you deserve that – a fresh start, a new chance to flourish. But be careful. Just because you try to ignore the past, doesn’t mean it will go away. This moment, this pain, is going to live with Wesley for a very long time. We can’t get him past it, only he can do that, but we can help him live with it. And Wesley and I can do the same for you.” 

Fred felt her smile widen a bit. For the first time in a long time, she felt as though she could really trust what she was being told. She knew that she and Wesley and Giles had a lot to work through first, of course, especially with Wesley’s recovery process, but somehow, she had the feeling they’d be able to get through it. She believed in Giles as much as she believed in Wesley. She knew both of them where truly good men.

Giles could feel the moment she relaxed a bit. Good. He wanted her to be able to trust him, so he could help Wesley and her. He couldn’t help but feeling as if this was the calm before the storm, though. It occurred to him that other enemies of Angel Investigations might want to take advantage of the splintering of the team. That thought alone made him accelerate a little faster, wanting to get back to Wesley.

“I’ll do whatever it takes to help Wesley,” she told him, squeezing his hand. It actually reminded her of Wesley’s – about the same size and feel. “I may—I warn you now that I may sometimes be a bit...scattered, and I may sometimes want to retreat if things get hard. If you see me with a marker in my hand, make sure you have a good wall cleaner, but I’m gonna try.”

He spared a glance down at their hands, his thumb gently rubbing along hers. “Fred, until recently, I have been surrounded by four young woman – the Slayer, her sister and our two resident witches. Add to that add to that a vampire unable to bite humans who helps us because of a promise he made to Buffy as well as a young man with a big heart who also has the tendency to put his foot in it and his eleven-hundred-year old girlfriend – she used to be a former vengeance demon and works for me now but hasn’t a clue as to what the word tact means. For lack of a better phrase, welcome to the asylum,” he said with a smirk. She was worried about scattered when his life had been left scattered in the dust years ago.

Fred listened to him with interest. Wesley, Angel and Cordy had mentioned the people back in Sunnydale, but they had never really spoken about who they were, what they were like. Except maybe for Buffy. Suddenly, she became quite aware of the fact that Giles was stroking her hand with his thumb. It felt nice – like when he had rubbed her back the previous night to get her to calm down. It was...it was like when Wesley sometimes had held her...before she had convinced herself that he wasn’t interested in her in that way.

“I—.” Her breath caught in her throat for a moment. 

“I hope you remember that when you feel like retreating, you can always come to me. I’m not like them. I don’t stop caring just because of a mistake.” He smiled before turning back into the hospital parking lot. “I’ll never judge you; with my past, I’m not qualified. But I will always care, and I will do whatever I can to help.”

“Thank you for everything you’ve been doing,” she told him as they pulled into a parking space. God, she was starting to realize why Wesley had reacted the way he had to Giles. If he acted this way to everyone... “I’ll remember what you’ve told me. I promise to come to you if it all gets overwhelming.”

“You don’t have to thank me. I want to be here for him...and for you,” Giles promised her when she agreed to come to him. “And know that no matter what, I won’t ever turn you away.” He smiled, covering her hand with his free one, so that he held it in both of his briefly. After a few moments, he reluctantly released her out of necessity, both of them exiting the car.

When they had to let go of each other’s hands to get out of the car, Fred found herself a bit disappointed. And confused. What was going on? She felt like her emotions were all one big bundle of contradictions at the moment. Charles, Wesley, Giles. She knew Charles had been a mistake now, but Wesley and Giles...she didn’t know what was going on with that. She shook her head. Things were just highly emotionally charged at the moment. That was it. They would get it worked out once things had settled down.

Going to the boot, he retrieved her bag of clothes, carrying it for her. “We have about forty minutes before Wesley wakes up, so let me buy you lunch in the cafeteria. We can sneak in some contraband for Wesley. Apple juice and maybe some vanilla ice cream. The cold will feel good on his throat.”

“Oh, that sounds good,” she said, realizing that she couldn’t remember when she had eaten last. Had it been the previous night? She couldn’t recall anymore. “And I’m sure Wesley would be thankful for what we could get him.”

They made their way to the cafeteria where they got some food. Fred found for once that while she was hungry, she wasn’t starving, and stuck with a grilled cheese sandwich, a bag of chips and some soda pop. After Giles paid for the food, they found a table in one of the corners, away from everyone else, and sat down across from each other. Fred picked at her sandwich for a moment before looking up at him.

“Giles...can I ask you something? I don’t mean to pry, but I was wondering about something you said to Angel back at the hotel...about a mistake he made that mars your skin? And someone named Jenny? Can I ask, what you meant? I understand if you don’t want to talk about, but I was just wondering because he never did really talk about anything about Sunnydale.” She stopped talking and prayed she hadn’t put her foot in it.

“Wow, tough questions right off the bat,” he took a deep breath. “I suppose you should know. Angel was your friend too. I assume Wesley told you about Angelus? How he became Angel?” He inquired before continuing.

She nodded, remembering the warning Wesley had given her not that long before Angel had returned from Sri Lanka, telling her that he wanted her to be prepared in case something happened since she was living at the hotel.

“That first year in Sunnydale was when we met Angel. He had been shadowing Buffy, leaving her cryptic messages about the goings on of the vampires of the town. She didn’t even realize he was a vampire at first. I had some texts on Angelus in my own records from the Council, but they were incomplete. It stated the fact that Angelus had been cursed with a soul, but then he disappeared, and the Council lost track of him. Lucky me to have him land in our laps,” he muttered sarcastically. “He helped us protect Buffy off and on for two years, and as long as that continued, I couldn’t see any reason to send him away.

“Until Buffy’s seventeenth birthday. Spike and Drusilla—I suppose you could call them family of Angelus. He sired Dru, Dru sired Spike. They were trying to assemble a being called The Judge. The Judge was a demon that could not be killed by manmade weapons and had the ability to incinerate someone to ash by burning the humanity out of them. Angel and Buffy barely escaped, and that night, we discovered the hard way what the clause in Angel’s curse was. He and Buffy had their moment of ‘perfect happiness,’ and Angelus was released. Jenny Calendar was a teacher I had been seeing at the time. It wasn’t until we were faced with Angelus that it was revealed she was a member of the gypsy tribe that initially cursed him and was sent to keep an eye on him.

“Needless to say, I felt hurt, betrayed. I pushed her away. But God help me, by then it was too late. I loved her. I didn’t know until the night she died that she loved me as well and that she had been trying to translate the text to the original curse. She wanted to make things right with Buffy and with me. That night, she had just finished the translation, and Angelus caught her at the school.” Giles grit his teeth at the next memory that flooded his brain. “He snapped her neck, and left her in my bed for me to find. The set-up was elaborate. I didn’t think anything of it at first since she was supposed to come by my flat that night so we could talk. There was a note on my door I thought was from her. La Boheme was playing on the record player, and there was champagne and roses. I walked upstairs.” He swallowed thickly and took a shaky breath. “And there she was, lifeless eyes staring back at me. Angelus terrorized my family for months afterwards. Little did we know, he was making big plans.”

Fred listened in amazement as Giles told her what had happened, feeling her heart drop at description of Jenny’s death at Angelus’ hands. She had been told about Angelus, of course – it was a fear that they all seemed to have, that if they weren’t careful, that Angel could change on it. She had never really believed it could be that bad, though. She had seen the demon in Angel in pure form after all, and he hadn’t hurt her.

But that demon still had Angel’s soul, she realized. If he hadn’t...

“After he took a statue from the Sunnydale museum – the statue of Acathla – I realized what he was attempting. Waking Acathla opened up a Vortex into hell and would have sucked this world into it. The problem was Angelus didn’t know the key, what he needed to wake Acathla, so he sent Drusilla and several minions to the high school. Dru killed Kendra, the other Slayer at the time, and I was taken back to the mansion. The reason I say Angel’s mistakes mar my skin is because Angelus tied me to a chair and tortured me for hours, trying to get me to give him the key. I was whipped, cut, stabbed, beaten, burned.”

He held up his left hand. “He broke all the fingers in this hand and ground them against each other. In the end, however, it was never Angelus that broke me. It was Drusilla. She has a special ability to get inside your head, to make you see what you want to see most. I was practically delirious with pain, and she made me think I had my Jenny back. I betrayed my Slayer, and for that, I will never forgive myself.”

Tears sprung to Fred’s eyes as she listened to how he had been tortured, and she looked at his hand when he held it up. One of the fingers was still slightly crooked, a reminder of what had been done to him. Without even realizing it, she reached up over the table and took his hand in hers, holding it tightly.

“Buffy and Xander came to rescue me, but by then, the vortex had been opened. Buffy was forced to send the man she loved to hell because I broke. Angel’s blood was the key. Only that would open it, and only that would close it.” Giles took a bite of his sandwich but didn’t really taste it. “And that’s why I think Angel is a bloody hypocrite. He had his soul for over a century. He did nothing in that time to find out about it, figure out its limitations. And because of that, he sent Sunnydale to hell. How dare he condemn Wesley after the things he did.” 

No wonder he hated Angel for what he had done to Wesley. No wonder he called him a hypocrite. Angel had known there was a clause in the curse, and still he had done what he had done. Wesley hadn’t known – he had thought he had been doing the right thing. Angel had known he might have been doing the wrong thing.

“I never knew,” she whispered, a lump forming in her throat. “They never talked about it. Cordy or Angel or Wesley, I mean. When they talked of Angelus, I thought they meant something like the demon form of him that I saw on Pylea. I never imagined... God, I can’t imagine having gone through that.” She pushed her sandwich away, suddenly not hungry anymore. 

“There’s no reason they should have. Angel and myself are the only ones that know all of the details. Cordelia knew that Angelus had killed Jenny but not to what extent. She’s always been more than a little self-absorbed anyway. I suppose I didn’t think she would care. And Wesley was working off of the edited account I provided in my diary to the Council.” He curled his fingers around hers. 

“What about Cordelia’s mistake? Or do I not want to know?”

“Are you sure you want to hear this? I didn’t mean to upset you.” He took a breath at her hesitant nod, remembering the story Anya had once told him about how she had lost her powers. “Cordelia’s tale puts us back on the self-absorbed aspect. At the time, she had been seeing a young friend of mine, Xander Harris. She had also been very competitive with Buffy. Cordelia caught Xander kissing another girl, and in the process of running away, she was injured when the stairs gave way under her and her torso was pierced with a piece of rebar. She blamed us, of course, and was later approached by a vengeance demon for scorned women, the one I mentioned earlier. Cordelia decided that since we were at fault, she would wish that Buffy Summers never came to Sunnydale. The new ‘wish’ world was so much different. Buffy was never there, so she hadn’t killed the Master, who as a result ran the town with his minions. Xander and Willow had been turned and were lieutenants of The Master. As there was no slayer, the vampires ruled all.

“Apparently my doppelganger was still there, doing what he could with a handful of students to help. They were dubbed the White Hats. Without the Slayer, though, they didn’t mount any decisive victories but were successful enough to be a thorn in the Master’s side. Angel had been caught as an anomaly and kept as Willow’s ‘pet’ to torture. Cordelia was killed in that world, but not before she explained what she had done to that world’s version of me. He conjured the vengeance demon and managed to undo Cordelia’s wish by smashing the demon’s power center. The entire wish was based on selfish motivation, which is the norm for that girl. And because of that, I’ll be damned if I let her take out her tantrums on the two of you.”

Fred’s jaw dropped at that. After those mistakes that they had made themselves, they were ready to write Wesley off for trying to help. He hadn’t intended for Justine to do that – he had just been planning to leave town for a little while. Bring Connor back when things were safe. “I feel like someone’s punched me in the gut,” she admitted. “Now I really wish that Wesley had been able to tell me. Guess I’ve made my share of mistakes in this too.”

“I’m sorry,” Giles replied, cradling her hand in both of his. “I...I just didn’t want you to feel guilty for the choice that they forced you to make. I realize this must be hard for you; you thought you understood who they were. Wesley is the one who deserves your loyalty. I know you feel like you let him down, but you’re here for him when it counts. That is all that matters,”

Nodding her head, she looked up at the clock on the cafeteria wall. “Should we get some things for him then and head back upstairs? I want to be there when he wakes up, so he doesn’t feel like we’ve abandoned him. I want to tell him that at least the important people don’t hold him responsible in this.”

He followed her glance toward the clock. “Yes. If you can handle our trays, I’ll go find some plain ice cream and a bottle of juice,” he offered and released her hand before standing. “Fred,” he suddenly called her, taking her chin in his fingers and steering her gaze to his. “I’m glad you’re here too.”

At his smile, Fred felt herself blushing a bit as she smiled back. She couldn’t remember the last time someone had told her that. Actually, yes, she could. Wesley – when she decided not to go home with her parents to Texas. And that had made her feel the same way, too. “Thanks,” she said, looking up at him. Standing up, she rose up on her tiptoes and placed a kiss on his cheek.

That earned her another warm smile. “Come on. Let’s go check on our boy.”

It didn’t take long to procure the items for Wesley. He had them bag them up and then slid them inside his jacket, shivering slightly when he felt the chill of the ice cream through the plastic bag. He met her at the door to the cafeteria, holding her bag in one hand. Silently, they made their way back up to the second floor, Giles noting the square of her shoulders. She seemed surer of herself now, more certain that she had made the right decision. He was glad he was able to offer some kind of comfort in that regard.

He smiled as they entered the room and saw Wesley struggling to sit up. Setting Fred’s bag down, he moved to assist him, grabbing his pillow from the couch to place behind Wesley’s back. He chuckled when Wes immediately reached for his notepad.

“How are you feeling?” Fred asked as she went over to the bed and sat down on the edge next to Wesley. She made sure that she wasn’t sitting on any of his tubes or wires, but she wanted to sit close to him and hoped he didn’t mind.

Wesley nodded, his blue eyes lit with relief. He opened up the pad, and scribbled down what he needed to ask. Feel good. Rested. How did it go? the paper said.

“As well as can be expected. I stayed in the lobby and went round and round with Angel, Gunn and Cordelia. Tried to keep them busy so they wouldn’t take things out on Fred,” Giles explained. “Oh, and I broke Charles’ arm for him for putting his hands on our girl there. Or at least trying to.” He smirked when Wesley’s eyes went wide with surprise then narrowed in anger. 

What? Did he hurt you? He looked at Fred, worried.

She read the message and shook her head. “No. Didn’t let him get close enough. Something I picked up from my time on Pylea.” She found herself reaching up to brush a lock of Wesley’s hair back from his forehead.

When Fred touched his hair, he felt as if a live wire had been placed against his body. The touch was so innocent and yet...not. Fred had never seemed comfortable touching him before. He vaguely wondered what had caused her change of heart. So lost in his thoughts, he didn’t notice that his heart had begun racing, the monitor attached to his chest noting the change. 

Giles had to bite back a smile, arching an eyebrow at Fred as if to say, And you thought you didn’t affect him?

She glanced up at the heart monitor, her eyes widening. She immediately wanted to tell him she was sorry but then realized he hadn’t noticed. But Giles had. She could see it in his eyes.

“I do have a bit of good news for you, by the way,” she said instead. “I spoke to Lorne, and he said that he understood why you did what you did and he doesn’t hold any grudges for what happened. Also promised that he’ll be in touch later when he knows what he’s going to be doing. I don’t think he’ll be staying around there either.”

Wesley breathed out a sigh of relief. He had forgotten about Lorne. He felt the guilt well up in his chest, however. He didn’t mean to hurt Lorne; he had just panicked, and he knew he had hit his friend hard. Looking down, ashamed, he wrote the next note slowly. 

Is he okay? I didn’t want to have to hurt him. Panicked. He turned the paper for her to read.

“Lorne’s fine. A bit of a bump, but he said that it’s nothing compared to what happened to you. He said he panicked too, basically reacted to the first thing he got when he read you. If he had paid more attention, he would have realized why you were doing what you were doing.”

Giles closed the door and returned to standing next to the bed. He could see the slump in Wesley’s shoulders and cursed inwardly. “I have your things in my boot, your tea set, laptop, and your texts,” he said with a smile, changing the subject as he removed the bag from his jacket. “And we also stopped by the cafeteria and managed to smuggle you in some contraband. Apple juice with a straw and two cups of vanilla ice cream. You’ll have to let the ice cream sit for a bit until it’s soft enough for you to work it down, but I thought something with a little taste would be an improvement over the hospital assigned mush they have you on.”

He laughed when Wesley’s eyes lit up. The younger man’s eyes were so expressive when you took the time to look. Why had he never noticed before?

“I think that means he likes that we’ve broken the hospital rules,” Fred said, reaching out and taking the bag from Giles. She fished out the apple juice and then set the bag aside on the chair next to bed so the ice cream could soften up while she opened the juice and stuck the straw in for him. “Here you go. Careful, though. Don’t gulp.”

Wesley took the bottle from her tentatively, gasping softly when his fingers brushed hers. He forced himself to focus on the bottle. This was definitely a treat. Wrapping his lips around the straw slowly, he figured the best way was to draw a small amount of juice into his mouth then see how well his throat cooperated in swallowing. He hummed happily as the taste hit his tongue. After a few failed attempts, he managed to get his throat to cooperate and take the juice down. Setting the pad on his lap, he scribbled on it.

Thank you both. Hospital mush should be illegal, he wrote while making a face at the memory. He looked up at Giles, knowing the other man was a genius in the kitchen. Promise me we can find something actually edible and still follow the doctor’s orders? Something that doesn’t taste like an old gym sock?

“I promise we’ll figure something out,” Giles smirked, looking into pleading blue eyes.

Fred glanced back and forth between the two men, remembering what Giles had told her, seeing the way they looked at each other. And she thought about the way Wesley had responded to her. Something in her tingled, deep down, something she couldn’t really define.

“Have they said when they think you’ll be able to leave?” she asked. “How long they think you’ll have to stay before you go home?”

Giles snorted at the sad puppy look on Wesley’s face when he shrugged. “Why don’t I go find the doctor? With my own medical training and the fact Fred and I will both be on hand to look after you, I’ll see if he can release you today.” He barked a laugh when Wes’ eyes shot up to his, practically begging. “I know how much you hate hospitals.” His face then dropped slightly. “And you’ve spent far too much time in them these past couple of years,” he added softly, the regret in his voice almost tangible. Shaking himself from his reverie, he pasted on a half smile. “You realize the doctor will give me a list of instructions as long as my arm?”

His smile grew when Wesley shrugged, as if to say, So?

“All right, I’ll be right back.” He turned his attention to Fred. “Keep an eye on this trouble maker for me, will you?” Sliding out of the room silently, he left the couple alone to talk.

Fred watched Giles go, closing the door behind him so that they could have some privacy. They were finally alone – alone for what must have been the first time since...she couldn’t really remember. Had they been alone at any point since the incident with Billy’s blood? It was after that incident that he had pulled away, was never in the room with her without anyone else.

“Giles is a really great guy,” she said, reaching into the bag on the chair and pulling out one of the ice creams to see whether it was mushy enough for him to try eating. “I can see why you’re such good friends with him – he drove all the way down from Sunnydale the minute I called him and said that you were missing. I can see why you...”

She broke off in the middle of her train of thought as she pulled the top off the ice cream cup and then rescued the attached spoon before tossing the lid into the nearby trash can. Her mouth had run ahead of her brain there, and she had almost said something that could have been very embarrassing for them both.

“I can see why you trust him so much.” 

Wesley nodded, glad that Fred seemed to trust him as well. He looked down at the pad, thinking for a moment before he started writing. He is. And I do. We didn’t become friends until I left Sunnydale. I will always regret that. I was such a prat when I was there. Treated him abysmally. Thank God he didn’t hold a grudge. He looked up at her, offering a sheepish smile.

Taking the apple juice from him and placing it on the bed stand, she nodded and held up the ice cream. “Need help with this, or do you think you can handle it yourself? If you want to write, it might be a problem, though, so I don’t mind helping...but only if you want me too, of course.

He arched an eyebrow in amusement when she held up the ice cream. You want to feed me? he wrote, offering a whisper of a laugh. His blue eyes twinkled with amusement as he smiled. Okay.

The look in his eyes made Fred grin, happy to see that at least he had some of his spirits back despite what had happened. Scooping up a bit of the ice cream, she held it up to his mouth and paused, trying to decide the best way to do this. “Maybe if you just sort of lick it off and let it melt in your mouth?” She blushed a little at how dirty that sounded as he opened his mouth so she could feed him. “Please pay no attention to the silly girl sitting on the bed with you. She’s just very, very happy that you’re alive.”

Wesley barely choked back the laugh that worked its way out at her slip. He grinned when she blushed, loving how adorable she looked. Fred and Giles had had a little fun with his condition last night. Now it was time for him to get some of his own back. Licking his lips, he eyed the small amount of ice cream on the tiny spoon she held up. Slowly snaking his tongue out, he curled it around the cold treat and drew it back into his mouth.

Fred’s breath caught in her throat at that, the way he deliberately took his time with licking the ice cream off the spoon, and somewhere in the pit of her stomach, she felt that tingling again. The same sort of feeling she had gotten watching him and Giles look at each other. God, they were in a hospital. These were not the sort of feelings she was supposed to be dealing with while sitting in a hospital.

Swallowing slightly, she spooned up some more ice cream for him, wondering if he was going to torture her the entire time. Maybe talking would help. Well, her talking and him writing. Something to distract them from...whatever this was. “Are you in much pain?”

Oh, good one, Winifred, she chastised herself as soon as the question left her lips. Might as well have asked him if he thought the Pope was Catholic.

Wesley smiled at the taste of the ice cream; the cold was soothing on his injured throat. He watched her carefully, relishing in her reaction. It also felt good to know that he could affect her as well. Eyeing the new portion on the spoon, he decided to take a different tact. Opening his mouth wide, he took in the entire tiny spoon, trailing his lips back across her fingers and sliding the ice cream onto his tongue. When she asked him if he was in pain, he shook his head no. Looking down at the pad, he wrote, Morphine.

“Good,” she heard herself squeak out at his answer, the feel of lips on her fingers adding to the ever growing shiver building up inside her. If he kept this up, she wasn’t sure what she was going to do. She was sure he had questions for her, but they hadn’t really said anything to each other. He had just accepted she was there with him, and she was glad.

Slowly, she fed him some more ice cream, the tips of her fingers brushing his face as she did, over the stubble. 

He could see that her eyes were dilated. Whether she knew it or not, this little display was turning her on. Oh, if she only knew. Just the sight of her, a certain smile, the light hitting her hair just right, would normally have him stuck in his office for fear of embarrassment. When she held up another bite, he set down his pen in his lap and took her hand in both of his. His thumb rubbed slowly across the back of her hand as he led it toward his mouth. Wrapping his lips around the spoon, he made certain to brush her fingers once again, slowly pulling her hand back. He rolled the ice cream around on his tongue and turned his head, watching her, waiting to see what she would do.

“Wesley,” she whispered, his name coming out like a low moan. Suddenly, the fact that they were in a hospital room and he was hooked up to all manner of monitors and an IV didn’t matter. She was leaning towards him, the ice cream cup falling from her hand as she rested the palm of her hands lightly against his chest.

He gasped softly as she did that, realizing that she wanted him. And that knowledge did more to help heal his injured soul than all the medicine in the world. When she leaned forward, he slid a hand up her back, fingers threading through her dark locks. Her touch was hesitant, not wishing to hurt him.

A moment later, her lips were brushing his, tentatively, waiting to see if this was okay and that she wasn’t hurting him in any way. Applying a little pressure, he brought her mouth down a little harder on his. He wanted this. God...he wanted her. He touched his tongue to her bottom lip, almost a plea for access to his heaven.

Fred felt him press his lips more firmly against her, felt his tongue, and opened her mouth slightly to deepen the kiss. Oh, God, this was really happening. What Giles had told her was true. Why he had pulled away—because of fear, because of what had happened? That didn’t matter anymore. Her mistake with Charles didn’t matter anymore either. More than anything now, she knew she had made the right decision.

Wesley moaned, ignoring the pain that flashed across his throat. This was where he had wanted to be for nearly a year, silently waiting for her to see him. He slid his tongue past her lips, exploring every crevice of her mouth. He tasted a hint of cheese, but the rest was distinctly Fred, and it was the taste of his salvation. Cupping her head in his hand, he stroked his tongue past hers in loving swipes, gentle teasing. Now was not the time for fire, but once his body was healed, he would claim her body and soul, just as she had already claimed his.

The shiver in her stomach spread through her limbs and would have made her feel weak in the knees if she hadn’t been sitting down on the bed. She could hear her heart pounding wildly, could taste the sweetness of the ice cream on his tongue as he teased her, could smell those ubiquitous hospital smells, could feel his chest rising and falling underneath the palms of her hands and the way his fingers curled into her hair. She knew they had to be careful, that they couldn’t let themselves get carried away – there would be plenty of time for that later. Right now, though, she was where she wanted to be and where she knew she was meant to be. This had been a wake-up call for her. She had almost allowed this to slip away, but she had been given the chance to make it right, and she was glad for that.

Slowly, she pulled away from the kiss, resting her forehead to his and taking a deep breath to regain her equilibrium. “Wow,” she said softly. “Pretty good for a guy laid up in a hospital bed. Can’t wait to see what you’re like when you’re recovered.”

Wesley’s eyes met hers, his breathing elevated but not panicked like it was the previous night. He stroked the back of his knuckles down her cheek, allowing everything he felt for this woman to shine in his eyes. He was frustrated, not able to use his voice, to tell her everything from the first moment he had realized he loved her until now. He slid his hand up on her shoulder instead, his thumb moving in circles on her throat. He smiled widely when she voiced her excitement at the prospects of his recovery. He was about to reach down for a pad when the door flew open, however, and an irritated nurse stood in the doorway. 

“Mister Wyndam-Pryce! Are you crazy?” the nurse asked, her tone scolding.

Wesley didn’t even bother to look up. He smirked at Fred, mouthing the words, ‘Crazy for you.’

“Your brother is out there trying to get you released ahead of schedule, and you pull a stunt like this? I think your young lady should move to a chair or better yet...the couch before the two of you short out the heart monitor.” 

Wesley winked at the woman he loved as if to say, Watch this. He turned his head to look at the other woman. And stuck his tongue out at her, looking very much like a five year old little boy. 

“Well, I never!” she gasped indignantly.

“That’s right – you probably never have. Which is why you’re begrudging the man his time,” Giles’ voice chimed in from the doorway. “The man nearly died. Fear of that alone should allow them a little snogging time without Nurse Ratchett ruining their fun.” He smiled at Wesley’s grateful look.

Between Wesley’s good-natured pout and Giles stepping in to defend them, Fred had to bite her lip to keep from laughing herself right off the edge of the bed. It was probably a very good thing the nurse couldn’t see the half-eaten cup of ice cream currently melting on the floor on the other side of the bed. She could just imagine the ruckus that particular bit of rule breaking would have caused.

“We promise to behave the rest of the time we’re here,” Fred promised in a tone that made it clear that she didn’t intend to behave at all if she could help it. She looked over at Giles and winked. “How much longer is that going to be, by the way?”

He laughed out loud when the nurse huffed irritably and walked out the door. “That woman needs to take the starch out of her knickers,” he said between laughs. Once he had calmed himself, his green eyes took in the pair on the bed. “Why Wesley, you look rather pleased with yourself,” he teased, grinning when the pair blushed. “It’s good to see you two getting to know each other.”

He ducked his head, knowing that was the first step to his friend’s emotional healing. “Sorry I took so long. Had to pop down to the pharmacy for your pills.” He held up the sack containing nine bottles. “We can take you home, but I was wrong,” he said, allowing his face to fall so they would think something was wrong. “Bloody doctor’s rules are longer than my arm.”

He then looked at Fred speculatively. “Can I trust you to behave yourself while we get him dressed?” He winked, focusing his attention on Wes when he noted the other man’s smirk. “And you too.” He said, including Wesley in the chiding.

“I’ll be good, Girl Scout’s honor,” she said, holding her fingers up in the traditional salute. Suddenly, her eyes opened wide as she glanced from Wesley to Giles. “What’s Wesley going to wear, though? I think they probably got rid of his clothes, and the only one’s we have here are mine. Don’t think he’s going to fit into any of them. Although I do have a cardigan that would probably look great with your eyes.”

“Already taken care of. I rescued the suede coat. Few drops of blood on it, but if there’s one thing you learn on a Hellmouth, it’s how to get blood out of anything. I dumped it in the car when I went to get some clothes for Wes out of my bag. These are a little long on me, so they should fit you nicely.” He held up a pair of jeans and a tee. “Unless you feel like going home in this lovely gown with your arse hanging out the back?” He chuckled when that earned him a blue-eyed glare.

“I think that means no.” Fred had to hand it to Giles – he certainly was prepared. Leaning over, she gave Wesley a gentle kiss on the lips and then slid off the bed. “You’ll have to show me your trick for removing blood stains,” she said as she took Wesley’s hand to help him. “I’ve lost a few outfits already thanks to that.”

She tried not to shudder at the memory of Wesley’s blood covering the shirt she had been wearing. Then she realized she was still wearing the scrub top he had given her last night – in her rush to get everything packed at the hotel, she hadn’t even bothered to change. Not that it mattered. She decided she would take a very long shower when they reached Wesley’s place.

Giles helped Wes move to the edge of the bed, pretending not to notice when the younger man’s breath caught in his chest when he reached around him. He slowly untied the gown, sliding it down his shoulders and off. Now he gritted his own teeth, willing down his body’s obvious arousal at a half-naked Wesley.

“All right, arms.” He surveyed the scene for a moment, not liking the idea of getting Wes’ head through the hole of the tee and putting too much pressure on his throat. He looked down at himself. “Hang on. We’ll need to keep you in button ups until those stitches dissolve. Your throat doesn’t need the added pressure of trying to force your head into a tee. I’ll take the tee; you take my shirt.”

Untucking his shirt, Giles undid all of the buttons before sliding it off his shoulders. He then grabbed the tee and pulled it on over his own head, not bothering to tuck it in before moving to slide the shirt he was wearing on Wesley. He did the buttons up quickly before reaching for the blanket over Wesley’s lap. He could see the other man shifting uncomfortably, but decided to play it off.

“Wes, come on. They’re just boxers.” He sighed when Wes still didn’t seem to budge. “Come on – you show me yours, and I’ll show you mine.” He grinned when the other man looked up at him in shock. That was enough to allow Giles to grip the blanket and pull it away. “This one is your fault,” he announced, smirking at Fred.

She found herself caught between wanting to look and not wanting to be caught staring. Finally she couldn’t help it and glanced over, seeing that Giles was right – she could see the effect that their kissing had on him. It made her heart flutter and skip a beat. No doubt Nurse Ratchett would have been back in there had she been hooked to a monitor as well. She glanced over at Giles and saw his smirk, which caused to her to drop her eyes, a bit embarrassed. And when she did, she saw the open button of his jeans, from which the top of his own boxers peaked. Remembering his offer to Wesley, she found herself swallowing as the image of both of them standing there half-dressed flitted through her mind.

“I like your boxers,” she heard herself telling Wesley softly. “Definitely nothing to be ashamed of.”

Wesley made an irritated sound, his breath catching in his throat when Giles kneeled in front of him. The older man slid the jeans up his legs, stopping just under his butt. His heart was racing – Giles was so close. All he had to do was lean in...

He reached up and pulled the leads of his chest, not wanting that nurse back in to read him the riot act. Not to mention the charade would be up if that happened. One did not have the feelings for their siblings that he felt for Giles. 

“I need you to put your arms around my neck so I can lift you,” Giles instructed him, his face turning serious when the younger man glared at him. “Wesley, you’re still weak. I’m not going to let you fall on your face because you’re too bloody proud to let me pull your trousers up. Just...humor me.” He knew he was still embarrassed, so he tried to make this as quick as possible. Setting him back down, he turned his back to calm his own nerves while Wesley fastened the jeans. 

Fred forced herself not to stare as Giles helped Wesley into the jeans. The tension in the room was unbelievable, like nothing she had ever felt before. It wasn’t just her, and it wasn’t just Giles – it was both of them causing those reactions in Wesley. And it was something she had never dealt with before, seeing the guy she cared for and just kissed also being turned on by another man. As she leaned down to pick up the ice cream cup from the floor, she watched Giles pulling up the jeans over Wesley. She didn’t blame him actually. Giles was an amazing man, as amazing as Wesley. In fact, both of them were the kind of men she had always seen herself being with when she had allowed herself to think of such things. Smart, sweet and not put off by her tendency to ramble. 

“Need any more help?” she asked once Wesley had finished fastening the jeans and she had tossed the cup in the trash can.

Giles did up his own jeans and refastened his belt. He had to keep his back to them to readjust himself, Wesley’s proximity when he held him up was wreaking havoc on his own body. He was about to answer Fred, but an orderly entered the room with a wheelchair. He turned to see Wesley, still on the bed with his notepad in his lap. He seemed upset. Slowly, he held the notepad out to Giles. The older man looked down at the pad.

You two are determined to leave me without any dignity, aren’t you? he read before passing the pad to Fred. He asked the orderly to give them a minute and then took a knee in front of Wesley.

“Wes,” he called him softly, waiting for the other man to raise his eyes and look at him. “I know this is hard for you. You are by nature an independent man, not to mention as stubborn as a mule.” He added the last part in a lighter tone. “But you almost died. Your body is still weak, and it’s not a crime to ask for help, especially from people that care about you. We’re not trying to take away your dignity; we’re just worried. We don’t want to see you hurt yourself again trying to do something your body isn’t ready for. It’s what people do when they love you.”

“Giles is right - we just want to help you,” Fred added, sitting back down next to him on the bed and wrapping her arm around his waist. Part of her wanted to lean her head against his shoulder, but she knew that was probably not a good idea at the moment. “I know it’s hard, but believe me, it’s all for you and because we love you. We wouldn’t be here otherwise.”

Reaching up, she rubbed her hand against his cheek. “I can’t imagine what you went through before and after what happened. I can’t pretend to, but you don’t have to go through this alone. Not anymore.”

Wesley took a deep breath through his nose and let it out. They were right. It was just so frustrating. He was used to being alone his entire life, doing things for himself. Now that he had the two people dearest to his heart suddenly underfoot, he didn’t know what to make of it. He instinctively leaned his face into Fred’s touch. Taking the pad from her hand, he wrote something on it with a sheepish expression.

Sorry. Just being a prat.

“Wesley, you’re not being a prat. You’re frustrated, that’s all. You’re entitled,” Giles reminded him, smiling when the other man put a hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. Wesley then turned slightly toward Fred, lovingly taking her face in his hands, and leaned forward, placing a kiss on her forehead. “Good, now that that’s settled, Fred, if you can gather Wesley’s things from here,” he motioned toward the collection of notepads, and other small items, “I’ll help him into the wheelchair and get your bag.”

He chuckled when Wesley held his arms up, looking like a little boy waiting to be lifted by his father. “Smart ass,” he grumbled, before moving him into the chair.

Fred had to stifle a laugh. Wesley could be stubborn, but he could also be very endearing. Quickly, she gathered everything up and put it in the bag with the still sealed ice cream cup, figuring Wesley could have it in the car if he needed it. Just as she was finishing, though, her phone suddenly started ringing in her pocket. She had forgotten to turn it off once they had returned to the hospital.

Pulling it out, she glanced down at the caller id. Charles. Having nothing to say to him, she stabbed the off button on the keypad and shoved it back in her pocket with a sigh. Would probably be best to leave it off for a day or so. She could call her parents once they got to Wesley’s and tell them where she was in case they needed to reach her.

After shouldering Fred’s bag, Giles turned around the room to make sure they had everything. He looked up at her when her phone rang. Noting the way her face darkened and how she stabbed at the power button when she turned it off, it could only be one person. Charles Gunn. Wanker. Fred seemed to him to be a very forgiving person in nature, and even their argument downstairs could have been chalked up to emotions, but the moment he had brought Angel to the hospital, the spiteful move had sealed his fate.

Standing behind her, he put a hand on her back in an attempt to comfort. “Okay?”

She shrugged, not sure how to answer that. Instead she just picked the bag back up from the bed and turned to look at both him and Wesley, who was settled in his wheelchair. “We getting out of here now?”

He nodded, knowing that getting her out of there was probably the best way to handle things. “Here, let me take that. You can push the wheelchair.” He took the bag from her hands. “We have everything, so let’s go home.”

Grateful for his understanding, she nodded at him and let him pull the bag from her. “Sounds like a very good idea.” She took up her position behind the wheelchair and leaned down to whisper in Wesley’s ear, “Ready to go?” When he gave her the affirmative, she kissed him by his ear and then straightened back up and followed Giles out of the room and down the hall.

The paperwork for Wesley’s release had been taken care of, so it wasn’t long before they were exiting the hospital and heading over to where Giles had parked the car. Fred snorted softly when she suddenly realized that he had the disabled sticker on his windshield, something she hadn’t noticed earlier. It definitely came in useful now.

As they got closer to the car, Wesley also noticed that Giles had parked in the handicapped spot. He arched an eyebrow toward the older man and got a shrug in return. His eyes lighted in the window, noting the reason the car had not been towed. 

“Willow’s idea. She didn’t believe it was practical to have to park ten miles away and have to run into battle. Not when lives are at stake. All of our cars are outfitted with these. All official, especially since she hacked the DMV database and entered them in.” He smiled. “Very practical, our Willow.”

Opening the passenger door, he moved Wes into position. “Okay, up we go.” He wrapped his arms around the younger man’s waist and transferred him over to the car. “Fred, I hope you don’t mind sitting in the back with the chair. Don’t look at me like that, Wesley. It was one of the conditions of letting you go early. If you think your dignity is shot now, how will you feel if I have to carry you into your flat?”

“And besides, it won’t be forever. Just a few days until you’re strong enough,” Fred assured him before turning to Giles. “And I don’t mind at all. Just let me get settled first and then you can put the chair in. I’ll keep a hold on it.”

Circling around to the driver’s side, she opened the door and climbed in, sitting down and buckling herself in. “Okay, I’m set.”

Wesley nodded reluctantly. He was feeling kind of tired, but he didn’t want to let Mother Hen One and Two know that. He turned his head to watch Giles settle the wheelchair in the back seat and winced when he realized he turned too far and it pulled on his stitches. 

Giles got in behind the wheel and dug in his pockets to remove a pill from one of the bottles. “Fred, can you dig around in that bag for that ice cream cup? He’s got to have something in his stomach to take this pill.” He passed the pill to Wesley. “Try and get some of this down, and you can use my water to take your pill. I’ll make something a little more substantial for you when we get you settled in at home.”

Fred shifted the bag Giles had put in the backseat with the chair into her lap and pulled out the second ice cream cup, which she opened and passed forward to Wesley. “Here you go. I think it’s almost completely melted by now, but it should make it easier to swallow.” Once he had taken the cup, she sat back again. “Do you cook, Giles?”

He smiled when Wesley snorted. “Yes, I cook. It was a condition of my mother’s relinquishing me to my Watcher Duty. Father could train me all he wanted six days a week, but Sundays were hers. We spent most of those days in the kitchen, preparing all sorts of delicacies – something we could do together. As I got older, she sensed I might start to lose interest, so she started putting it in my head that I could capture any woman in the world by cooking her a magnificent dinner. I knew it was hogwash, but I played along for her,” he explained as he started the car. “We covered most of the internationals – English, Italian, Spanish, Mexican, French, Middle Eastern, and Asian. I have a special affinity for the Asian and Mexican cuisines. I also have an affinity for the spiciness of the Cajuns. Perhaps once Wesley can go back to solid foods, I’ll make all of us a Cajun dinner to celebrate,” He offered, pulling the car out of the spot and heading toward Wesley’s flat.

“Oh, that sounds wonderful,” Fred said. And definitely much more appetizing that the grilled cheese sandwich she hadn’t been able to finish in the hospital cafeteria. “And by the way, if you ever make me Mexican food, I’ll probably worship you forever. I’d better warn you, though, because I’m not sure if Wesley may have told you, but I can eat quite a lot. It’s always been something that amuses the others.”

Wesley had finished his ice cream and taken his pill. He made a face as he drank – the water must have been sitting in Giles’ car for at least a day. Oh well, too late to think about it now. He smiled when Fred mentioned her capacity for eating, giving Giles a confirming nod. Reaching down onto the floor, he picked up his pad and wrote one word. 

Tacos. He tapped Giles on the shoulder to get him to look at the pad. 

“Tacos, huh?” Giles asked aloud.

Fred scrubbed her hands over her face and chuckled a bit. “Yes, tacos. When I came back from Pylea, one of the first things I asked was if they still made tacos. I didn’t know – for all I knew, they could’ve been found to be bad for you and banned or something. But they weren’t, and Wesley kept me supplied with them all last summer.” Catching his gaze in the convertible’s side mirror, she gave him a smile. “At least I never tried to make him my bark enchiladas. Those needed a lot of work.”

“Bark Enchiladas? Interesting.” Giles glanced to the side and saw Wesley looking out the window. He smiled sadly. The younger man was so hurt emotionally – although Fred seemed to be tackling that problem head on – as well as physically. No matter what happened, he was going to worry about Wesley, but for the first time in a long time, things were in a position to help him not only heal but also to grow past what his father always told him he was. “Perhaps I’ll volunteer to do the cooking from now on.”

He offered that with a teasing grin, catching Fred’s eyes in the rearview mirror. “Once we get inside and settled, Fred, I’ll need you to find one of the markets that deliver. If I know this young pup, he’s probably got an ancient canister of oatmeal, tea, a few biscuits, and all the take-away condiments one will ever need.” He laughed when Wes ducked his head. “We’ll stock the larder from there,” he added, pulling up in front of Wesley’s building.

“No problem. I know just the place.”

Once they were parked, Fred waited until Giles had removed the wheelchair from the backseat before crawling out, pulling her bag and the bag of Wesley’s stuff out with her. It took them a few minutes to get the chair set back up again and then to move Wesley out of the car and into it. Fred tried not to look over at the park, over at where she had found him dying. He was fine now, and she didn’t want to dwell on that. She noticed Wesley looking over there, however, so she knelt in front of him and put her hand up to his face.

“Hey,” she said softly. “I found you, and you’re going to be fine, and I swear to God that if I ever see her again, I’m going to make sure she regrets it.”

Rising up, she gave him a gentle kiss on the lips.

Wesley nodded hesitantly, the feel of her lips against his helping him push back the memory of the blade slicing across his throat. Taking a deep breath, he reminded himself that he wasn’t alone, that he had two people there that cared for him. And all those thoughts he had that night, lying in the park, bleeding, they didn’t mean a thing. 

“Why don’t you take him inside? I’ll get the rest of the things from the boot,” Giles offered, moving toward the back of the car.

“Sure thing,” Fred replied before pushing herself up and moving behind the wheelchair to push Wesley inside.

A couple of the building’s other tenants were standing in the lobby when they entered and looked over, apparently taken aback at the site of the bandage swathing his neck. Ignoring them, she took Wesley over to the elevator and pushed the call button. While they waited, she reached over his shoulder and took his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze and continuing to hold it as the elevator arrived and she pushed him in. Luckily, no one was in the elevator, which made the ride up to his floor infinitely easier. When the doors slid open, Fred reluctantly let go of his hand and pushed him down the hall and around the corner to his door, where she poked through the bag of his belongings from the hospital until she found his keys at the bottom. Once she unlocked and opened the door, she pushed him inside, leaving it ajar for Giles to just come in.

“Where do you want to go?” she asked, circling around to stand beside him in the entrance hall. “Couch? Bedroom? Bathroom?” She blushed as soon as that came out of her mouth and hoped her question didn’t embarrass him too much. “Sorry.”

Wesley let out a strangled noise, the image of him and Fred in the shower – or making love in the bath – flitting through his brain. His face turned beet red as he ducked his head. Taking the pen from his pocket with a shaky hand, he scribbled one word on his note pad. 

Couch, he wrote, holding the pad up for her to see. As they went into the lounge area, Wesley looked up to see Giles toe the door all the way open, loaded with a box, Fred’s bag, and what Wesley assumed were his two bags.

“Bloody hell, your neighbor is nosy,” he grumbled, stepping into the flat. He kicked the door closed behind him before setting the box on the counter and the bags on the floor. “Old woman could have taught the Spanish Inquisition a thing or two.”

Wesley scowled and wrote something on his pad as Giles came over to read it. That would be Mrs. Johansen, tedious old fishwife. You didn’t...? He stopped writing as Giles put his hand over his.

“No, I didn’t. Your business is yours. Let her use some other poor sod to fulfill her need for a hobby,” Giles replied, softly. He moved his hand up to Wes’ shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze. 

Fred shook her head, just imagining what Wesley’s neighbor had been asking about. Three people staying in a one-bedroom apartment, their bags and boxes, Wesley’s injuries – they were all fodder for a lot of gossip, she was sure.

“Wesley wanted to go over to the couch,” she told Giles. “Do you want to take care of that while I put this stuff away? Then we can make a list of what we want from the market, and I’ll call to have it delivered. I...uh...also need to call my parents. I should let them know where I am. Just in case.”

Wesley’s eyes widened – he had forgotten about Roger and Trish Burkle. Fred’s relationship with her parents was dear to her, and in no way would he ever dream of interfering with that. He looked down at the pad and scribbled something down quickly before passing Fred the sheet. 

Call them. Give them my number. You can use my bedroom if you need a little privacy. The groceries can wait. Wesley nodded at the unspoken question in her eyes, and Giles waited until she had the cordless and disappeared into the bedroom before moving Wesley over to the couch. 

“When she’s done, we can get you some of your own clothes if you like,” Giles offered gently. He arched an eyebrow when Wesley seemed to blush. He looked down once the younger man wrote something else. 

If you don’t mind, I’d like to just stay in these. We can wash them in the laundry room tomorrow. He didn’t want Giles to realize that being surrounded by the other man’s scent was somewhat comforting, even if it was wreaking havoc on his senses. It made him feel...cared for.

“Wesley, sod the clothes. Of course I don’t mind. I was just worried about your comfort,” he replied with a smile before moving to the kitchen to put on some tea. He picked up the box of Wesley’s things, intending to use the nice tea set inside. He didn’t want to take too long. Leaving Wesley alone with his thoughts at this point in time could do more damage than good.

 

*****

Once she had closed the door behind her, Fred walked over and sat on the bed. Breathing deeply for a few moments, she just sat there with the phone cradled to her chest. Everything had been so overwhelming, and suddenly she felt as though someone had just popped her and let out all the air. Her emotions still felt jangled even though part of her was unbelievably giddy about the fact that she and Wesley had kissed, about knowing that he did actually return the feelings she had been trying to bury because she thought he hadn’t been interested. There were other things she was still trying to sort out in her mind, but at least she had finally made a decision that she knew was right.

Turning the phone on, she quickly punched in her parent’s home number in Texas and waited for the line picked up.

Trish Burkle was humming happily to herself. Having been home from work for about an hour, she decided it was time to start dinner since Roger would be in from the fields in about forty-five minutes to be fed. She smiled to herself. Her life was good. She and her husband had been incredibly happy since the return of their daughter that year. As she headed into the kitchen, the phone rang, and she detoured off to answer it. 

“Hello?”

Fred smiled at the sound of her mother’s voice. For so long on Pylea, she had wanted to just be able to talk to her mother, to hear her voice telling her everything would be okay. And then when she had gotten back, she had convinced herself that if she did hear her, it would make it all real, so she had run away. Luckily, they had found her anyway.

“Hi, Mom, it’s me,” she said. “Are you busy? Some stuff’s happened here, and I really needed to talk to you.”

“Now, Winifred, you know I’m never to busy to talk to my daughter.” The older woman frowned at hearing something in her child’s voice. “You sound like you got something pretty heavy on your mind. Do I need to get your daddy? Or is this a mother/daughter call?” she asked, trying to lighten her voice.

“I...uh...I’m not sure. But you’re right – it’s pretty heavy. A lot’s happened in the last twenty-four hours. Wesley—you remember Wesley, don’t you? The really nice English guy I work with?

“Of course I remember Wesley,” she replied, silently thinking about the nice young man she had met. She had noticed how he seemed to always hover near her daughter as if he was ready to protect her. It was a trait she valued, especially in their line of work. 

“Well, he was hurt badly – really badly – last night, and it’s caused a huge bust-up, and I broke up with Charles, and...I’m not living at the Hyperion anymore.” Fred stopped a took another breath, realizing that even though that covered what had happened, that didn’t even really begin to cover it.

Trish gasped softly, thinking of him hurt. “Is he...is he okay?” she asked, her brow furrowing, trying to figure how Wesley being hurt could cause such a tight knit group to break apart. “Fred, baby, tell me what happened. It might help you to get it out.” She didn’t want her daughter to bottle this up.

“It—oh, mom, it was horrible.” She didn’t really know where to start, so she decided to start with Darla. “You remember I told you ‘bout Darla? Angel’s old girlfriend, the vampire that gave birth his son Connor? Well, Wesley found this awful prophecy that Angel was going to kill Connor, and he couldn’t tell us—he couldn’t tell me because Charles kept taking me away for other stupid stuff, and so he decided to try to take Connor away, so Angel couldn’t hurt him, but some bitch who was working for that Holtz guy found him first and slit Wesley’s throat and kidnapped Connor.” Fred felt tears coming to her eyes as she related it all to her and curled her feet up beneath her so she was sitting almost in a ball on the bed.

“Oh, honey,” Trish sighed, hearing the pain in her daughter’s voice. “I’m so sorry. I know these people were all important to you.” She took a deep breath, wondering about something Fred had said. “What do you mean Charles kept taking you away?”

She could guess what it meant without her saying, however. Her daughter was a beautiful, brilliant young woman with a heart of gold. Had the two men been fighting over her? She didn’t like the idea of Fred being in that type of situation. But something didn’t add up. If she was dating Charles, what made Wesley take a step back? She smiled sadly at the thought that entered her mind, and that made her appreciate Wesley even more. He had been thinking about Fred’s happiness first.

“Charles and Angel blamed Wesley for what happened,” Fred continued, not hearing her mother’s last question, “and I got caught in the middle because I sided with Wesley and called his friend Giles down to help. So I left, and I’m staying at Wesley’s now while he’s recovering.”

“I’m proud of you, darlin’. It couldn’t have been easy, but you made the right choice stickin’ by your friend.” 

“I had to. I couldn’t let him go through this alone, not after what he had been through. I love him.” Realizing what she had just admitted to her mother, Fred closed her eyes. Her voice dropped to an almost low whisper, “I think Charles knew that. And he knew that Wesley felt the same about me even though I wasn’t so sure. He wanted to keep us apart. Because of that, Wesley got hurt.”

“Fred, I knew. I saw it in Wesley’s face when we visited,” she admitted. “And before you get upset about that, I gotta remind you that me and your daddy knowin’ didn’t matter. It’s your life to live, baby. We just wanted you to be happy. If that was with Charles, then it wasn’t our place to say anything. I admit, though, I’m glad you feel differently now. I think Wesley will be good to you. Treat you like the treasure you are,” she added with a smile. “Do you need me to come up and help? You know daddy and I can be there in a day.”

“Probably wouldn’t be a good idea. There’s three of us staying here already what with me and Giles here to help Wesley while he gets better.” Fred couldn’t believe that her mother had seen it too. But she hadn’t been there when Wesley had pulled away from her, making her think that he only wanted to be friends and co-workers. She had never told her about what had happened with Billy’s blood either. Never would. That hadn’t been Wesley, no matter how he had blamed himself. “Plus, I don’t want to overwhelm him after everything that’s happened.”

“Okay, but you let us know if you need help. I have vacation time coming anyway,” Trish replied to her daughter. She was a little disappointed that her baby didn’t need her anymore, but she supposed it was part of learning that Fred was a grown up and didn’t need her standing underfoot and mothering her to death anymore. “Give our love to Wesley and tell him we’re prayin’ for his quick recovery. And you tell this Giles he better look after you both, or daddy and I will be on our way up.” She said the last part in a half-teasing voice.

“We’ll be fine. I promise to let you know if we need anything. And I’ll give you Wesley’s phone number in case you need to reach me.”

“Be more than fine, baby. You deserve so much more than ‘fine’. Be happy.” She reached for a pen to scribble down Wesley’s number and address. “Did you want to talk to daddy? Or should I let you go so that you can get back to Wesley?”

Fred would have loved to talk to her father but felt that she had already spent too much time away from Giles and Wesley. There would be plenty of time to spend chatting on the phone later once things had settled and Wesley was taken care of. Maybe she’d take him – and Giles even if wanted to come along – to San Antonio. The farm would be a great place to really relax and spend time away from everything.

“That’s okay. Just tell Dad that I love him, and I’ll talk to him soon, okay?” She then gave her Wesley’s number and address. “And Mom? I don’t think I say it enough, but I love you too.”

“I’ll tell him,” Trish replied, her attention drawn away from the phone for a moment by her husband coming in through the back door. She smiled. Her family might have had hundreds of miles between them, but for the first time in six years, it felt like they were together.

“Woman! Where’s my dinner!” Roger called out, smirking when he saw his wife on the phone. “Tell those busybodies from the bridge club to let you go. You have a hungry husband.”

“Oh, you hush, Roger Burkle. I’m talking to our daughter!” she shot back with a smile, watching his face light up. ““No, she has to go. She’ll talk to us later.” She would explain everything to him once she got off the phone. “I’ll let you go, Fred. Remember, we love you so much.”

Fred felt a warm fuzzy feeling spread through her at that. “Thanks, Mom. Talk to you later.”

With that, they said their goodbyes, and she pressed the off button on the phone. God, she missed her parents. However, as much as she would have loved to have them visit, it wasn’t the time. After taking a few more moments to herself, she slid off the bed and walked back out into the living room where Wesley was still on the couch.

Wesley smiled to himself, knowing the second Fred stepped into the room. It was as if a warm blanket had enveloped him. He looked up at her, his heart skipping a beat at the happiness on her face. Talking to her parents seemed to have strengthened her spirit. 

“Hey, thanks for letting me call them. It was so good to hear my mother’s voice.” She smiled at him and set the cordless down on the coffee table. “Where’s Giles?”

He pointed toward the kitchen and, looking down at the pad, started writing, Knowing Giles, he’s making tea. And you don’t have to thank me for letting you call your parents. If you need to talk to them, you have a standing invitation to use my phone. He turned the pad for her to read.

She smiled at him as she read the message and reached over to run her hand through his hair as she stood next to him. “Mom asked if we needed anymore help, but I told her we’d be fine.” Glancing over in the direction of the kitchen, she could hear Giles moving around. “Do you need any help in there?”

Your mum is a good woman. Tell her I said thank you for the offer, Wesley wrote. He looked up as Giles entered the room with his tea tray and a plate of biscuits he didn’t remember buying. He looked at friend, the question in his blue eyes.

“Your ancient biscuits should come with a disclaimer,” Giles teased. “I brought these with me. Little taste of home.” He knew the younger man hadn’t seen England since he left the Academy. They had talked about this specific topic on many occasions – how they were content with their lives but did miss England. “I went through considerable effort to hide these from Xander, so do enjoy them. They should tide us over until we can order groceries.”

Wesley looked down at the tray to note that two of the biscuits were on a separate plate. Giles had taken the time to break them into manageable pieces. He was touched.

“Just take it slow, let them soften in your mouth, and you should be fine,” his friend said.

Fred sat down on the couch, looking at the cookies—biscuits with interest. The differences in American and British English never ceased to interest her, especially considering the first time she had heard Wesley talking about craving a biscuit, she had brought him a fluffy biscuit back from the diner. He had taken it with a smile, but later, she had discovered that wasn’t what he had really wanted. She had been so embarrassed but touched that Wesley hadn’t complained about her mistake.

“I’ve never seen anything quite like those,” she said. “Much nicer than the cheap chocolate chip cookies I used to keep hidden in my room.”

“Yes, well, Xander’s appetite is notorious. Most of my profits from the Magic Box are spent trying to restock the cupboards after a night of research with Xander Harris. I send for a few items from home every so often, so I usually try to hide them from him because I swear that boy can smell a pizza being ordered within a ten mile radius.” Giles sighed, but he knew he wouldn’t change anything or any one of them for the world. He picked up one of the biscuits, looking at it with a faint smile. “The outside is flaky, which shouldn’t be too bad for Wes. The inside is a chocolate cream. Cadbury’s. These little things got me through many a research night at the Academy.” He popped one of them into his mouth.

Reaching out, she took one of the biscuits and took a bite. Giles was right – it was quite flaky, and several crumbles fell onto the front of her scrub top. She really needed to do something about showering and changing into a clean set of clothes from her bag. “These are really good,” she said before finishing off the rest of it. “The more you talk about your friends from Sunnydale, the more I want to meet them. They sound like some really great people.”

“They are. Let’s see, there’s Willow and Tara, our witches. Willow by herself is quite powerful, but that power is unfocused. She’s young, though, so that will come with age. Tara is shy, but she has the truest heart I have ever known. She’s not as powerful as Willow is though she is far more wise than she lets on. She gives Willow focus. I think that’s why they’re such a formidable team when they cast together. There’s also Anya; she’s running the Magic Box while I’m away. Anya is a former vengeance demon who was made human when the alternate me broke Cordelia’s wish. She tries and can be quite kind, but she’s also new to the human aspect of the word ‘tact’. So when you meet, don’t take anything she says personally.” He smirked. “She’s says what’s on her mind whether we want to hear it or not. Then there’s Xander. He’s Anya’s boyfriend, but he’s been with us from the beginning. His biggest asset is his devotion to his friends. He’ll bend over backwards to help you, constantly breaking the tension of an apocalypse with a well-placed quip. Next, there’s the bane of my existence, Spike, also known as William the Bloody.”

He nodded when Wesley’s eyes grew large in recognition. “I know. But you remember his alterations. Last year, he was caught by a government agency, and a chip was implanted in his brain. It prevents him from feeding on humans, so he sates his demon’s blood lust by helping us wipe out the demon population of Sunnydale. And as much as I hate to say it, after Buffy’s loss, he’s been a godsend on patrolling. I allow him to stay around unmolested mainly because he has a soft spot for Dawn. He would die to protect her. Dawn is Buffy’s younger sister,” he explained as he glanced over at Fred. “Add myself to the mix, and you have a very rag-tag group of individuals that try and keep the Hellmouth from swallowing Sunnydale whole.”

Fred could see the look in his eyes when he mentioned Buffy and remembered their conversation the previous evening, about how Wesley’s phone calls after her death had kept Giles from going crazy with grief. “Sounds like you’ve done an amazing job,” she told him, knowing it couldn’t have been easy. “Before all this, before what happened to me, I never imagined this sort of things really existed. I actually thought that aliens were more likely to exist than demons. Shows you how wrong I was.”

Wesley rolled the remnants of the biscuit around on his tongue, relishing in the rich chocolate taste. He smiled at Fred’s comments about aliens and looked down at his pad.

Your father’s influence if I remember correctly. He laughed softly and was about to turn the pad toward her when Giles’ soft voice suddenly interrupted them. 

“No.” His face had fallen when Fred commended him. “My Slayer is dead, so I failed,” he remarked before slumping back on the couch. He had failed Buffy when she needed him most. He had mentored the greatest Slayer in the history of the Council, and he had lost her. The feeling of such a failure left him feeling numb. So much so that he didn’t even feel Wesley’s arm drape over his shoulder until he felt the squeeze.

As Wesley put his arm over his shoulder, Fred slid off to the couch onto the floor with him and placed her hand on his other one. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, looking from him up to Wesley and then back to Giles. She really had done this time. Good Ol’ Fred, always saying the wrong thing at exactly the wrong time, and she had no clue how to make it better. “I’m sure—she would never—oh, God...I’m sure she wouldn’t want you to blame yourself. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring it up...”

Giles sniffed, trying to tamp down on the overwhelming sense of grief that wrapped tight around his chest and constricted it brutally. He couldn’t keep doing this. He was supposed to be here looking after Wesley, and he was falling apart over the mere mention of his lost Slayer. He would be of no use to them if he couldn’t pull himself together. 

“No, you didn’t know. It’s...it’s something I have to come to terms with.” He turned his hand over in hers and squeezed gently. “I don’t want you to think you can’t talk to me because you’re worried you might say the wrong thing. I want both of you to be able to talk to me about anything.” He moved his free hand up to his shoulder, placing his hands over Wesley’s. “I’m sorry,” he apologized while attempting to shake the feeling off. He smiled sadly when Wesley’s hand moved, bringing his head closer. The younger man’s forehead touched his temple briefly in a show of silent camaraderie before pulling back. 

You don’t have to apologize. You’re here for me, but it goes both ways. Just because you’re here doesn’t mean you shut off the fact that you’re still grieving, Wesley wrote. Besides, it’s nice to know that you’re human like the rest of us. He smirked, happy when it got a better smile out of his friend. 

Relieved when Giles smiled, Fred looked over at Wesley and mouthed ‘Thank you’ to him. She was glad that Giles didn’t hold it against her and understood that she hadn’t meant to bring up any bad memories.

Wesley nodded. Fred really meant no harm in what she said. She honestly didn’t know, and he didn’t want her to feel as if she had to walk on eggshells around Rupert, especially when they both were staying here. 

Rising up onto her knees, she hesitantly withdrew her hand from Giles’ and took one of the cups to pour a cup of tea. She then prepared it the way she knew Wesley liked it and handed it over to him. He took the cup from her with a gentle smile. Feeling that the cup was lukewarm, he looked over at Giles, touched by the thought.

“That’s why it took so long.” Giles shrugged. “You have enough to worry about without burning your throat. We can all drink lukewarm tea for a bit.”

“How do you take it?” Fred asked Giles with a shy smile while pouring another cup.

He glanced up at her in surprise. “Just black, please,” he replied. She didn’t have to pour his tea for him, but he realized it was just in her nature. Wesley was right – she had such a kind demeanor. There was something about the girl that just put you at ease.

Nodding, she handed the cup over to him then poured a cup for herself and added a bit of milk and a small spoonful of sugar. Once she had finished, she moved up to the couch again, leaning back and taking a sip. “This is really good tea even lukewarm.”

English style, Wesley wrote, balancing the pad on his legs while holding the cup in his other hand. God, he missed that. Even in Sunnydale, the only time he could get a decent cup of tea was if he could get Rupert to make it. He cringed inwardly, knowing that his own behavior at the time was what had practically guaranteed that those occasions had been very rare. 

“Well, Wesley has the set, which, gathering from the layer of dust I wiped off of it, didn’t get much use,” Giles chided him, gently. “But it’s an easy enough process. I can teach you how to make it like this.” He knew it would be better if they both knew how. That way Wesley could get a good cup of tea anytime he wanted it.

Fred smiled at Giles’ offer. “I’d really like that. My knowledge of tea goes so far as placing a bag in the cup. Although I do have my mother’s recipe for Sun Tea to make iced tea during the summer. I used to sit out on the porch when I was a kid and watch the tea move through the water from the bags she used...I think that was when I first became interested in osmosis.”

“Speaking of recipes, we should start on that list soon. I’d like to get the groceries ordered, and then we can all clean up.”

She took another sip of the tea and then looked over at Wesley. “Do you want to be our list taker since you have the pad? Then I can call the market and place the order.”

Giles watched Wesley finish his tea before flipping the page on his pad. He took the cup from his hand and set it on the table. “I think pastas should be okay for you. So we’ll need several kinds – linguini, angel hair, spaghetti. The penne has ridges, so I don’t want to chance that. Heavy cream. Basil. Pine nuts. A few tins of plain spaghetti sauce with nothing in it. Onions. Fruits. Vegetables. A few tins of biscuits. Perhaps some crisps for Fred.” He began running over some of the things he found in Wesley’s kitchen in his head. “Several boxes of instant potatoes and some porridge for you.” He chuckled when Wes made a face at the instant potatoes. “Don’t worry. I’ll add to it so that it’s actually edible. Can’t be any worse than that hospital mush. And better double up on the fruit. In a day or two, you should be able to handle a fruit salad.”

Fred added her own wants to the list – pancake mix, milk, some deli meats, eggs, lemonade, iced tea mix, a couple of loaves of bread, some cans of soup, cheese, and several pints of ice cream. The last request, she saw, brought a smile to Wesley’s face. Once he had a few things of his own on the list, Fred took the piece of paper from him and, after setting her tea cup down, grabbed the cordless phone from the coffee table.

“Learned the market number a long time ago now. Was the only way to keep from starving when—well, before.” She sighed and shook her head as she punched the number in. With only her and Angel living full-time at the Hyperion, and Angel not tending to eat since he was a vampire, she had realized very quickly that if she didn’t do the shopping for herself, the fridge tended not to get stocked.

“No, different address now,” she told the guy on the other end. “And this won’t be going on the Hyperion tab.” The idea of sticking it on there did briefly appeal to her, but she decided it would probably be best not to. No point in riling them up over there. She gave the order-taker Wes’ address and borrowed his pen for a moment to jot down the total. “Thanks. See you soon.”

Turning the phone off again, she passed the pen back. “All right – they said that the groceries should be delivered in about an hour.”

Giles looked down at the total and dug out his wallet. He pulled out a hundred and four fifties and tossed them on the table before placing his wallet back in his pocket. He froze when he felt Wesley’s hand on his arm. The other man pointed to a vase on the bookshelf. Getting up from the couch, Giles went over to the vase and looked inside. There was a roll of money resting in the bottom.

“No, Wesley, let me do this. Neither of you are working right now, and you just incurred a fairly sizable hospital bill. My family’s estate is considerable, and I still collect my Watcher’s check. Not to mention the Magic Box is doing rather well. Paying for groceries is not going to break me, I promise.”

Fred had just gone pulled her wallet from her purse when Giles said that and looked up, quite grateful to him. “Probably a good thing because it would me. All I have is a ten-dollar bill.” She sighed and shoved her wallet back in. Any money she had was what she managed to scrape together herself or borrow from her parents when she really needed help. Angel hadn’t even given her anything from the $10,000 they had got from the Nahdrahs when she was the one who had almost had her head removed. And she had just let him get away with it.

Dropping her purse back on the table, she looked down at her scrub top again. “You said something about cleaning up while we waited for the delivery?”

“If you don’t mind, I’d like to get my shower first. That way I can start dinner while you’re in there.” Giles smiled at her nod.

Gathering his bag from by the door, he opened it, removing a pair of boxers, a clean pair of jeans and a shirt. He then grabbed his travel bag and headed into the bathroom. Looking at his reflection in the mirror, he scowled. Two days worth of beard stubble, and he looked like a lecherous old college professor. Resigned, he stepped back from the sink and started peeling off his clothes. 

Wesley sighed, knowing that Giles had a point, but it didn’t mean he still didn’t feel like he was taking advantage of his friend. Once he had disappeared into the bathroom, he looked up at Fred, wearing a sheepish expression.

He’s something else, Wesley wrote, knowing that the woman he loved was fond of the other man already. I meant to ask you before, but how are your parents?

“He’s definitely unique. Just like you,” she said with a grin as she circled around the couch to sit down with him. “And my parents are fine. My mother offered to practically jump the next plane or bus to come help, but I told her it was crowded enough here already.” She reached over, resting her hand on Wesley’s arm. “They both send her love and wishes for recovery too. I didn’t realize how much my mother likes you until I spoke to her. She—she thinks you’ll be good to me.” At this, she gave an embarrassed little laugh and looked down.

Tell your mum I said thank you. I like your parents too. They’re so... He paused, wondering if he should write the next part. They’re good people, loving. They would do anything for you. You’re lucky.

He froze when she seemed embarrassed about what she had said. Setting down his pad, he turned slightly to face her. Gripping her chin in his fingers, he steered her gaze to his. ‘I love you, Fred,’ he mouthed, part of him waiting for her to walk out and head back to Texas.

She had known, of course. Known because Giles had told her at the hospital. She met his eyes, feeling her stomach fluttering and her heart pounding. “I—I love you too,” she admitted softly. “Have for a while. I—I just didn’t think that you—that you did when you pulled away. So...so I made a stupid mistake that I wish I hadn’t, and that led to a whole lot more until I didn’t really realize what was going on.” She sighed and let her fingers crawl up his arm to his face. “I wish I could change it. I wish I had known.”

Wesley placed his hand over hers on his face. He leaned forward, pressing his forehead to hers, not only relishing this moment but also needing to say something, even in a whisper. She needed to hear it. Concentrating, he managed to get his injured vocal cords to cooperate.

“Doesn’t matter. Here now,” he whispered, tamping down on the pain and ignoring the copper taste of blood in his throat. His free hand came up, fingers combing through her dark hair. ‘So beautiful,’ he then mouthed, not wanting to push his luck. Knowing Rupert, he would drive him back to the hospital if he discovered he had been speaking.

“You shouldn’t be talking,” she whispered, unable to be stern with him as tears came to her eyes when she saw what he then mouthed to her. “Plenty of time for that later. I promise I’m not going anywhere.”

Tilting her head slightly, she placed a gentle kiss on his lips. “You’re pretty wonderful and handsome too, you know.”

Wesley pulled back, smiling. He reached for the discarded pad, bringing it back to his lap. 

I have always tried to be good to you. It’s no less than you deserve, he wrote before swallowing thickly, the memories threatening to overwhelm him. After Billy, I shouldn’t have pulled away. Was terrified. But I think you deserve to know why. My parents—I’m certain you remember Giles mentioning my father, telling me how unlike him I am? When she nodded, he continued, My father isn’t a very nice man. He wanted an obedient Watcher, not a son. As a boy, any mistake I made was met with physical and emotional retribution. How I had failed him as a son and that he would do whatever it took to make me like him. Even if it killed me. When I...

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to finish.

When I hurt you, I thought that if I could hurt someone I loved like that, that I was becoming him. And that thought scared the hell out of me.

Fred felt the tears collecting in her eyes start rolling down her cheeks as she read Wesley’s note. “I—.” She raised her head to look into his eyes, suddenly understanding everything. I don’t know what kind of man I am anymore. “It wasn’t you. I know it wasn’t. Because a man like that wouldn’t worry about whether he was hurting someone and wouldn’t care. That alone tells me Giles is right – that you aren’t anything like your father.”

I know that now. But when you showed up at my door, I was still dealing with the fear. By the time I had realized that for myself, Cordelia talked me into telling you how I felt. That was the night of the ballet. When I came to find you, I saw you kissing Gunn. He paused, letting the memory go. You seemed happy. What I felt didn’t matter. So I stayed quiet.

She gave him a sad smile, wishing that things had gone differently but knowing that she couldn’t change that now. “Thank you for confiding in me.” She placed her hand over his heart. “It means more than I can say. And I know you’ll be good to me because that’s who you are – who you really are.”

He placed his hand over hers. I’ll try to be. You deserve to be treated like a queen.

“I’m not a queen; I’m just Fred,” she said feeling a bit self-conscious at the idea of being compared to a queen. She had grown up on a farm and been a slave for years. She had never felt like a queen or anywhere near grand enough to be a queen. Now Cordelia, she was a...

Fred’s eyes drifted back up the previous note to Cordelia’s name as she thought about her, and she re-read what Wesley had written. Cordelia talked me into telling you how I felt. But at the shop, she had been talking about—oh, God. “She didn’t mean Charles. She was talking about you. You were the one she meant when she said at the dress shop that she thought we were perfect together...”

Probably. She caught me that morning. I had been trying to do research on a demon from one of Cordelia’s visions. She caught me daydreaming about you. He smiled shyly. And you could never be just anything. And that night of the ballet, you looked breathtaking. I... He looked toward a desk in the corner. There was a man with a camera there that night. I pulled him aside before we left. The picture is in the top drawer of my desk, if you’d like to see it.

“I’d love to see that,” she told him, touched by the thought that he would have wanted to keep a memento of that night even though he cared enough about her happiness to step back if that was what she thought she wanted. Well, now she was going to be concerned about his happiness. His recovery and his happiness. “Promise me something, Wesley – don’t ever feel that you can’t tell me anything, no matter what it is. Know that you can always come to me and tell me anything, and we’ll work through it together.”

I can’t promise that if it’ll hurt you. After you kissed Gunn, how would you have felt if I confessed my feelings? Confused would have been the least of it. You were happy, and Gunn was my friend. I couldn’t do that to either of you. He looked up, seeing that she had gotten up to retrieve the picture from his desk and finished the note for her to read when she got back. But I will try. I won’t say that I wouldn’t do the same thing if it means your health or happiness. All I can promise is to try.

Fred looked at the picture as she crossed back over and sat down, smiling when she saw it – it was of the two of them from when they were standing out in the upper level of the lobby during intermission. Both of them were looking at each other, and she remembered that moment. She immediately understood why Wesley had never showed any of them the picture until now.

Sitting down, she saw him holding out the pad and leaned over to read it, her eyes flicking quickly over what he had written. He was right. It would have confused things had he said something after what had happened between her and Charles that night. It didn’t stop her from wishing he had been able to come to her, but he was right.

“Trying is enough. I just want you to know that I’m here for you, however and whenever. I want you to be happy too. After everything you’ve been through, you deserve it too.”

I have everything I need to make me happy, right here in this flat. Everything else is just the icing on the cake, Wesley wrote before allowing his eyes to stray over the picture in her hand. I remember that moment. You smiled at me, and I thought my heart was going to beat out of my chest. I have others around here somewhere, but that has always been my favorite.

Giles came out of the shower, hair still damp and face freshly shaven. He had his shirt in his hands and paused for a moment to slide it on. He looked up to see Fred and Wesley talking. Walking up behind Fred, he saw the photo in her hand and whistled appreciatively. 

“Don’t you two look fantastic,” he remarked with a smile. Fred in her lovely gown looked stunning, and Wesley in his tuxedo looked absolutely delicious.

“We do clean up pretty good, don’t we? Too bad I had to return that dress. I really did love it.” She looked down at herself again. “And speaking of cleaning up...I really should as soon as the groceries get here.”

“Yes, you do. Absolutely breathtaking,” he commented, referring to both of them. “Although I’ve seen Wesley in a tux before.”

He smiled, seeing the other man hide his face in his hands. Fred, however, looked rather...interested.

“We both got stuck chaperoning the Sunnydale High prom. Formal wear – had to dress appropriately,” Giles explained, knowing Wesley was embarrassed remembering the blueberry scone incident. When the doorbell rang, he scooped the money off the table, and turned to answer it. “Thank you, you can set it right over here, I’ll take everything into the kitchen. Also, I was wondering if you could start an account for Rupert Giles. I’ll be here for some time.” He passed over the money for the current bill. “Keep the change on this.” 

“Wow, thanks, mister,” one of the kids replied, knowing it was about a $40 tip. “And no problem about the account. I’ll give my boss your name. Just call later to secure the account with a credit card.”

“Very good.”

“Do you want help with those, Giles?”

He turned is attention toward Fred once the delivery boys had left. “I think the men-folk can handle this,” he teased. “Go on, we’ll be fine.”

“Okay, if you’re sure.” She laughed when both of them waved her away. “All right, all right. Didn’t realize I was that stinky.”

She opened her bag and pulled out one of her dresses that she could just slip on once she was done showering as well as fresh underclothes and her shampoo and conditioner. She decided she’d just borrow whatever soap Wesley had in there and, with a small wave to both of them, headed into the bathroom. She was glad to be able to slip out of the scrub top and the jeans she had been wearing for what seemed like forever now – there were splatters of dried blood on her jeans that she hadn’t noticed before. God, she hoped Wesley hadn’t seen them.

Turning on the shower so that it was good and hot, she stepped underneath it and felt herself sag into the wall as the water ran over her. She felt so tired, but unlike before, it was in good way now. She’d clean up, go back out there and start the next part of her life.

 

*****

Out in the lounge, Giles looked over at Wes, the smile on the handsome face causing one to appear on his own. 

“I know you haven’t had much cause to lately, but you should do that more.” He nodded toward the sound of the running water. “Fred, she put that smile on your face, and I’ll always be grateful to her for doing so,” he explained, gathering up a half a dozen bags in each arm. “When you smile, it lights up your face, takes ten years off of you. I’m looking forward to seeing it more.”

He took the first batch of bags into the kitchen, letting Wesley interpret what he said any way he wanted. Pulling the grapes from one of the bags, he grabbed a small bowl and pulled a bunch off of the stems. Taking the bowl, he went out to collect the rest of the bags.

“Here, work on these while I get dinner started,” he instructed, passing the bowl over. When he reached down to get the other bags, Wesley held the pad out to him.

I told her I loved her. And a little about father.

“This relationship is yours and Fred’s, Wesley. Your father has been trying to destroy you since you were a boy. Don’t let him in this time. It’s as simple as that. You know your father; he’ll try and make you choose,” Giles cautioned him. He waited a few moments while Wes scribbled down something else. 

No choice. It will always be her.

“Good, I’m glad to hear it. Now eat while I get dinner started,” he told the younger man, heading back toward the kitchen. He heard the sound of tearing paper and laughed when he felt the wad hit him in the back. Pausing a moment, he scooped up the ball to open it. 

Yes, mother.

“Why, you cheeky little... Eat,” he ordered the smirking man before continuing into the kitchen. Once the groceries were put away, he decided on something simple for dinner, not wanting to rub in the fact that Wes couldn’t have solid foods. Chicken soup for all of them, grilled cheese sandwiches for he and Fred, and a small portion of garlic mashed potatoes for Wesley. It didn’t take long for him to make. Plating everything up and portioning the soup into bowls, he placed them all on a serving tray, which he carried out to the dining table.

 

*****


	3. Chapter 3

Her hair clean, Fred stepped out the shower, now certain that every last bit of blood and dirt had been washed away down the drain. After toweling off and squeezing her hair to dry it, she got dressed. Once she was ready, she gathered up her discarded clothing and walked out into the main room, where Wesley was nibbling on a bowl of grapes.

“Oh, whatever Giles is making, it smells really good,” she said, setting the bundle down next to her bag and figuring she could deal with it later after dinner, find out where Wesley stashed his washer and dryer and run them through it. Then she saw Giles walking out with everything on a serving tray, and the sight of the chicken soup made her stomach rumble. “Oh, that looks really good too.”

“It’s just soup and grilled cheese sandwiches – something simple.” Giles shrugged. “Oh, and garlic potatoes for His Majesty over there.” He set the tray down. “We want to eat here or over on the couch?” he asked, looking at Wes. He nodded when the other man pointed to the dining table.

Moving to stand in front of him, he held his hand out. When Wes took it, he pulled him to his feet, draping Wesley’s arm around his shoulders. It was slow moving, but Giles managed to get him seated, letting Fred take the chair next to Wes. He placed the plate of sandwiches in the middle of the table, and bowls of soup in front of the three spots with silverware.

“I used garlic butter on the grilled cheese too. Just to add a little flavor. I’ll take care of the dishes after we eat,” he said, finally sitting down in his own chair.

“I’ll help. And before you protest, you’ve already done so much for us already – this, coming down. You shouldn’t be doing it all by yourself. And if that doesn’t convince you, just ask Wesley how stubborn I can be.” She gave him an I-won’t-take-no-for-an-answer smile as she took one of the sandwiches from the plate in the middle and then took a bite. “Oh, this is good. I’ve never had one with garlic butter before.”

“I’m not doing it all myself.” Giles looked over at her with a sly grin. “I’m leaving the emotional support to you. I’m just here to thrash him if he gives you any trouble,” he added, pointedly, turning his attention on Wes. “You’re going to be a good boy for the beautiful lady, aren’t you?”

Giles smiled to himself, realizing that Fred was an interesting woman. She could find such enjoyment sitting with company, doing nothing. Watching her face when she tasted the grilled cheese was also an experience. Fred, in a manner, found that food could be a sensual experience. Sparing a glance back at Wesley, he wondered if he should try and teach him to cook.

“Of course, he will, especially if you’re here to whomp him if he gets out of line.” Looking over at Wesley, she reached over and gave his arm a gentle squeeze before taking a sip of the soup. Giles had let it cool down a bit like he had to tea, which was good because she didn’t have to blow on it before she had some.

She watched the two men she was eating dinner with and realized that it had been a long time since she had been able to just sit down to a meal like this. A quiet, home-cooked meal with friends that didn’t involve worrying whether something would interrupt them. There was no apprehension and pressure in the air, and she was grateful for that as much as she was that Wesley was still alive and Giles had come down to help. For the first time in a long time, she felt comfortable and really at home.

“I’d appreciate the help with the dishes. We can figure out where everything is together. If you want, we’ll also make a pot of tea while we’re in there,” he offered, finishing off the last of his soup. 

He looked up at Wesley, who had already finished the soup and was nearly done with the potatoes. It made him happy to see him eating so well, but he also knew in a matter of minutes, it would be time to move. He finished his sandwich, noticing Wes’ eyelids getting heavy. He was out of his chair and caught the younger man’s shoulders as he started to lean.

“All right, Wes, time for bed,” he told him, hauling him up to his feet. He chuckled when Wesley shook his head. “Yes, I know, you’re not tired. That’s why you keep yawning and nearly fell out of your chair twice already.”

Leading his friend into the bedroom, Giles gently laid him on his back on one side of the bed and leaned over to remove his boots. Fred watched, tempted to follow them, but then decided that it would probably be better if she let him take care of it without her interference. The three of them had pretty much finished their soup, and the sandwiches were polished off, so she collected the plates onto the serving tray, which she then carried into the kitchen. After setting it down on the counter, she started running the water to heat it up before she placed the stopper in the sink.

Leaning against the edge of the sink, she stared out the window. Wesley’s apartment was on the opposite side from the park. She couldn’t imagine having to look at it every time she looked out the window, so she was glad that he didn’t have to either.

In the bedroom, Giles finished getting his friend settled on the bed. “Go to sleep, Wes. We’ll still be here when you wake up. I promise,” he whispered, brushing the hair off of his brow.

Giles stood there patiently, waiting for his breathing to even out before heading back out to Fred. He saw that the table had been cleared, so he went into the kitchen.

“Well, that sleeping pill hit him faster than I thought it would,” he remarked.

Picking up the tea set from the counter, he moved to the sink, quickly washing out the pot and the three cups they had used earlier. He grabbed the dishtowel that was hanging on the oven handle and started to dry them, noticing for the first time that Fred seemed lost in her own thoughts.

“Hey...” He reached out and touched her arm. “Penny?”

“What? Oh...sorry...was just looking out there. Kind of glad that the park’s on the other side of the building. Not the greatest view in the world, I would think – seeing the place where you got attacked out your own window.” She shook her head and started to put the dishes they had used into the water, now that Giles had finished watching the teapot and cups. “Wait a minute...did you just say sleeping pill? I didn’t see him take one.”

Giles nodded, agreeing with her sentiment. Seeing the place where you nearly died, day after day, would not make recovery any easier. He turned, putting the kettle on the stove to boil, letting a smile cross his lips when she finally caught on about the sleeping pill. 

“It’s all right; he didn’t know he took one.” Giles grinned. “I know Wesley. And right now, a big part of him still thinks this,” he waved his hand between the two of them, “is a dream, and that if he goes to sleep, he’ll wake up alone with his friends hating him. So he’ll fight it – sleeping – as much as he can. That’s why I sprinkled the sleeping pill in his potatoes and added garlic to mask the taste of the drug.”

Turning, she stared at him in disbelief – and a fair bit amount of awe – for a few moments. “You drugged his food.”

Thing was, he was right. Wesley wouldn’t have slept otherwise had he not done it. She had seen him refuse to sleep for days to try to work something out, especially when it was important. That was why she should have realized something was wrong when they had found him asleep at his desk a few weeks before.

“Don’t think I would have thought of that.” Dunking the dish she still had in her hand in the water, she then turned on the tap and pushed it over to run into the other half of the sink so she could rinse it before putting it on the drainer. “I probably would have just tried to guilt him into taking it and probably wouldn’t have gotten far.”

“I did,” he chuckled at the look on her face. “It’s not that we’ve been friends for a long time because in the scheme of things, nearly four years isn’t all that long. We have similar backgrounds, things we went through as children and Watcher training. It gives me an insight into him that his other friends might not have. The same can be said about me. Xander, Willow...I’ve known them both for over five years, and Wesley sees things in me they never would have caught.” His face darkened momentarily as a memory flitted across his brain. “Not to mention I know his father and have had the extreme misfortune to train under him. I can only imagine what Wesley went through as his son.” He sighed, tamping down on his anger. “It still amazes me how he can have such a good heart with such a pillock as a father.”

At his slight growl, she paused for a moment before nodding. “I never knew about his father – he never really talked about his home, even when I asked about England. He talked about the places there, all the things you can find in those tour books and history books and picture books, but he never talked about where he came from. Now I understand why.” Sighing, she placed a bowl on the drainer. “I hope I never have to meet him.”

“His mother is a kind woman, but she’s never been a match for Roger Wyndam-Pryce. The man is a bully plain and simple and, as far as I’m concerned, one of the biggest fools I’ve ever met. His son has one of the most brilliant minds in the history of the Council, and through Wesley’s entire life, he’s always made him feel as if he were a failure. In a way, I think Wes is still looking for some sort of approval from his father. In his heart, he knows he’ll never get it, but it doesn’t stop him from trying.” He looked sadly at the kitchen door, toward the bedroom. “I’m not sure if you ever will meet him. He probably won’t show his face unless he thinks Wesley is trying to get out from under his thumb. But I know he does call on occasion. I hope I’m here if that wanker does try to call. I have a few things I’d like to say to him.”

So much about Wesley was making sense now. Things she had never been able to figure out before, certain things he had said and the way he had acted towards her after Billy. He always seemed worried about getting things right, and now she knew why. He had been looking for something he’d probably never get. It had no doubt driven his actions with Connor – to save a child from a dark fate at the hands of his father when all other avenues seemed closed off. And it had cost Wesley almost everything. Giles was right. Funny how the others could make a mistake that was selfish in nature and be forgiven, but Wesley was considered a pariah for trying to save another.

“I don’t—considering what I did to Justine, I have a feeling I wouldn’t be able to hold back with his father either,” she told him. “‘Specially if he said something while I was there.”

“Justine – she’s the redhead Wesley told me about? The one that worked with Holtz?”

“Yeah, that’s Justine. I’m not sure exactly how she managed to get close to Wesley, haven’t had a chance to ask him...probably never will, but she was the one that kidnapped Connor and...” Closing her eyes, Fred plunged her hands into the water, remembering how her knuckles had throbbed after she had punched Justine. “I don’t know what I would have done if she had actually managed to kill him. I don’t want to think what I would have done.”

“I wouldn’t recommend it,” Giles scowled. He had never physically harmed a woman in his life, but he was sure if he encountered Justine while he was here, Ripper would be fighting him tooth and nail for a piece of her. “Wesley is already carrying enough guilt over what happened to Connor. When he’s healed up, I’ll call in a few favors at the Council and see what I can dig up. If you know which dimension he was taken to, it should help narrow the search. We can hit all the occult shops here, see if we can’t track down a way to retrieve the boy. I have a feeling our help in this task might be the only thing that can allow him to live with that guilt.”

Fred wracked her brain, trying to remember what Angel had said when they had crossed paths in all the chaos in trying to find Wesley and Connor and after Holtz had run into the rift that Sahjahn had created called—”Quor’toth.” The word seemed to stick on her tongue, sounding as ugly as it had been described. “Angel said the place was the darkest of the dark worlds or something like that. And Holtz practically ran in there voluntarily.”

“I’ll call the Council once we’re done here, at least set the wheels in motion. It’ll take them a week, maybe two, to even figure out if we have anything on Quor’Toth. I’ll also have Tara and Willow go through the books at The Magic Box as well then hit my flat.” Giles shook his head. “All the damage that was done in one night is going to take a hell of a lot longer to undo. But for both Wesley and Connor, we have to try,” he said, starting to dry and put away the dishes.

“We do. And whatever you need me to do, I’ll do it.” For Wesley. For Connor. She didn’t care about the others at the moment, but Connor was innocent, and Wesley had been trying to help. Part of her wanted them to take Connor if they did get him back and take him away from here. She couldn’t explain why – it was just a feeling she had.

Once they had finished putting the dishes away, she turned and looked at the tea kettle on the stove. “So, are you gonna teach me how to make tea the proper way?”

“Sure.” Giles smiled, pulling the tin of tea out of Wesley’s cupboard. “Okay, you take into consideration what each tea set serves. This one serves five. You can see it right here.”

He tipped the pot upside down and showed her the five stamped on the bottom. Fred stood slightly to his side, watching over his shoulder. She had always wondered what that number on the bottom was for but had never had a chance to ask Wesley about it, especially since he hadn’t ever made tea with the set while at the hotel. For convenience’s sake, he had always ended up using bagged tea; otherwise, he probably never would have gotten a cup ever with all the stuff that had happened to them.

“You put one teaspoon of loose tea in the pot for every person. So five,” He spooned out the necessary tea. “Some pots have a filter that you can just lift it out once the leaves have steeped. This one, the filter is in the neck.” He pointed to the spout before grabbing the boiling kettle and pouring the water into the pot. “You leave the pot to sit, to taste. I usually leave it about five minutes before I pour the first cup. It’s different for each person – how strong or weak you want the taste.”

“Didn’t know these had filters since you always hear about tea leaves and such in the bottom of cups in movies and on shows,” she told him.

“Well, some of the sediment is bound to slip through. It does with the tea bags too. Most ‘serious’ tea drinkers don’t mind, one way or another.” Giles smiled, looking down at the cups while they were waiting. “I’m...I’m glad you and Wesley had a chance to talk,” he managed, his tone gentle. “If—I’m just here to help take care of him. Shield you both from the others as much as I can.” He took a breath, trying to gather his thoughts. “Just say the word if you need me to make myself scarce for a few hours. The two of you, you deserve some time to yourselves.”

“You’re not just here for anything,” she told him, putting her hand on his arm. “You’re obviously very important to Wesley, and I can definitely understand why. I appreciate the offer...it’s unbelievably sweet, but I wouldn’t ever...” She found herself stumbling over her words. “Wesley and I will have plenty of time together. And I’m glad you’re here to talk to. It’s...nice having another person around who has the same sort of interests.”

“Fred, this is obviously an important relationship to Wesley and to you as well. I won’t stop being your friend if you ask me to bugger off for a bit. I just...” He sighed before he admitted, “I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes here. He needs you, probably more than he realizes.” He paused nad smiled, memories flitting across his brain. “I remember when you arrived. You were all he could talk about. Every stride you made in reclaiming your life, I heard about. It was cute. You could hear the pride in his voice.” He smiled down at her and touched her hand gently. “Just, please, take him seriously. I don’t want to see him hurt again. He’s been hurt enough.”

“I—I know he has.” Her voice was soft, her mind a whirl with everything she had learned in the last 36 hours. It seemed like she had learned enough to last two or three lifetimes, and the revelations still seemed to be coming. “I promise I’ll do everything I can for him. Call it another step in reclaiming my life, but I understand now what I’ve really wanted, and that’s Wesley, so I’m here...as long as he wants me. And I’m hoping that’s a very, very long time.”

He nodded, content with the sincerity in her eyes and the strength of conviction in her tone. He knew she had to be reeling from everything that had happened even since he had arrived, but she would make it; she would do whatever it took to stand by Wesley this time. And to Giles, that was all the comfort he needed. 

Jutting her chin out, she indicated the tea pot that was still sitting there with the tea steeping. “We’re going to have pretty strong tea there. Hope it’s decaf or we might be awake all night.”

“Decaf?” Chuckling, he arched an eyebrow in amusement. “It defeats the entire purpose of tea,” he joked, pouring out two cups. “Since I’m here to shield both of you, is there anything I should know? Threats from locations other than the Hyperion?”

“Wolfram and Hart,” she said without hesitation as she took the tea cup from Giles. They headed out into the living room to sit down comfortably on the couch, Fred tucking her legs underneath herself as she settled herself into the corner. “They’re this law firm for demons, do whatever they can mystically and legally to get their clients off or to help them out. They love to do whatever they can to cause problems for us.” She shuddered at the memory of what they had done to Cordy to get Angel to free Billy for them, knowing that what she had said was actually an understatement.

“Yes, the Council is familiar with the Firm. They’ve been popping up offices all round the world, making right nuisances of themselves. The only office we seem particularly concerned about, however, is Rome. Not only because they seem to be rounding up potential Slayers for their own cause but also because with them being so close to the Vatican, the possibility for corruption there is endless. Most of our best men and women are sent to the Rome Council office to try and head off the trouble. It’s a constant battle. I didn’t realize the L.A. office was so interested in making things difficult for all of you. I suppose, however, it makes sense with Angel towing such a fine line between good and evil. One false step on his part, they would have a very deadly ally in Angelus.”

“Lilah Morgan’s the one you really have to worry about. She was always trying to find a way to cause trouble, and I’m pretty sure that she was involved in what happened with Connor and that demon that opened the portal to Quor’Toth. If you ever meet her, don’t trust a word she says.”

Giles’ brow furrowed as he considered what she had just said. “Lilah Morgan. She was the one who took the Niazian scroll Wesley needed to be sure about the prophecy?” he asked. 

Fred tried to remember everything that had happened regarding the scrolls. “Yeah, she was. I know it drove Wesley crazy, trying to figure out what it said without it.”

“I can imagine. Scrolls aren’t like a lot of the ancient texts, especially something as rare as the Niazian scrolls. There are only bits and pieces in existence. Without them, you’re looking at least a dozen different roads you have to traverse to reach the same conclusion, and nothing is really able to be confirmed without that bit of parchment. I can understand why Wesley was going mad.”

She sighed and looked over toward the bedroom door. “She took it while we were dealing with Darla when she was carrying Connor. With everything she’s pulled, you think she’d be running the L.A. office by now.”

Suddenly, Giles looked up at the front door when he heard a knock. He immediately tucked a stake from Wesley’s arsenal in the back of his jeans before moving to the door. Looking out the peep hole, he scowled.

“There’s a woman out there, dressed to the nines...like a lawyer. You don’t think...” he trailed off. Opening the door, he pasted on his best Ripper smirk. “Why, Miss Morgan, we were just discussing you. Were your ears burning?”

“Always knew she was at least part bitch,” Fred muttered under her breath as she got up off the couch, somehow not surprised that Lilah chose that moment to turn up. She always did just when you didn’t want her to. What was surprising, however, was that she was at Wesley’s apartment.

Although given everything that had happened, maybe not.

Lilah, meanwhile, stood in the doorway, her perfectly shaped eyebrow cocked at the sight of the man standing in the doorway. Then she saw that little twig of a girl from the Good N Plenties standing in the living room. “Well, when I decided to come here, I didn’t expect there to be a welcoming party. Especially not after what happened. I heard our favorite vampire tried to kill Wesley and then tossed him out on his ear. Does he know his little Texan lap dog’s consorting with the enemy?”

Fred was about to retort when she saw Giles give her a concealed wave.

“And who might you be?” she asked, turning her attention back to Giles. “Wesley doesn’t have any siblings that I know of. If you are, I’m going to have a talk with whoever’s slacking off in record keeping.”

Giles just smiled knowingly. He figured that with an outfit like Wolfram and Hart, they would know who he was. Hell, he probably had a file as thick as his arm, but apparently, they were too busy throwing a monkey wrench in Angel’s life to bother attaching a picture. He had scowled when she insulted Fred; however, it turned into a sneer quickly. This could work to their advantage.

“Yes, you really should. Let me properly introduce myself,” In the blink of an eye, his hand shot out to wrap around her slender neck. He jerked her in through the door and kicked it closed, slamming her against it with a loud thud. “Name is Rupert Giles, pet. But you can call me Ripper,” he said, darkly, chuckling when her eyes widened in surprise. “And by the look on your face, you really should update my file.”

Lilah’s eyes practically bugged out of her skull – more from hearing his name than from the fact that his hand was currently wrapped around her neck. She’d been threatened so often that she’d lost count by now. But the fact that this man was Rupert Giles, the tweed-wearing Watcher to the currently dead Slayer of Sunnydale, was probably the biggest surprise she’d had all year because she never would expected him to voluntarily come to Los Angeles, turf of the souled vampire who had tortured him and all.

“I think you’re right,” she managed to croak out. “Some things obviously got left out. The Partners don’t like incomplete records.”

Fred stared in amazement at Giles. She knew how protective he could be after what he had done to Angel and Gunn to protect her and Wesley. But to see Lilah up against the wall like that...she almost wanted to kiss him for the way he was handling her.

“Miss Morgan...Lilah,” his voice softened deceptively. “We can do this civilly or the hard way. I have an old friend who would much prefer the hard way.” Smirking, he could feel Ripper jerking on his leash, just waiting for the go to attack. “You have something that belongs to Wesley, and I want it back now.” He reached in her jacket pocket, and withdrew her cell phone. “You will call your office and have the Niazian scroll brought here.” He gave her a feral grin at the defiance in her eyes. “I won’t bother you with idle threats because I promise you, any threats made by me are never idle. There is probably one pertinent fact that stands out in my file – how far I will go to protect what is mine. Keep your vampire, play all the games you want with his life, I could care less. Wesley and Fred, however, they’re mine.”

He leaned closer to her ear.

“Do not mistake me for Angel. I’m certain you have former Watchers on your payroll, so you know we will do whatever we have to do to serve our purposes. I do indeed have a soul, but I will not hesitate to snuff out your existence for Wesley’s peace of mind. Now...the scroll. Make the call.”

Shuddering at the feel of his lips brushing her ear, Lilah looked from the phone to the dark green eyes inches from her own. She must have been assaulted one two many times because she couldn’t believe that she was starting to get off on things like this. He was actually claiming the twig and the brain. And he was willing to kill her for Wesley. She didn’t think even Angel would have done that.

“What makes you think I still have the scroll? I’m not in charge of—.” The hand around her tightened, and she felt her heart begin pounding in her chest. Damn, this guy was good. Just the kind of Watcher the Firm would love to lure over to them. “Any harder, and you’ll owe me dinner.”

Without answering, he just held up the phone higher, indicating that he wasn’t going to take anymore from her. Call or he’d go through with his threat. She could feel the anger and power in him. He wouldn’t hesitate.

Better get away from this and find a way to get both of them. Two for the price of one was worth a little embarrassment any day. “Give me the phone,” she said, holding up her hand.

Giles pressed the phone into her hand, keeping his foot braced against the door in case she decided to try and leave. He then grabbed her by the lapels of her suit jacket and pulled, moving her toward the couch. “Sit. You’re staying until it gets here,” he ordered, waiting until her back was turned, before winking at Fred with a small smile. He quickly schooled his features back into a threatening glare before Lilah noticed.

Fred had to keep herself from gaping openly and laughing in delight at the sight of Lilah Morgan – Bitch Queen Lawyer of the Universe – sitting on the couch and following Giles’ orders. It was an amazing sight, and she was just sorry that Wesley was asleep and missing it. He probably never would have believed it because not even Angel had been able to get her to follow orders, and she couldn’t wait to tell him now.

Giles listened to Lilah yell at someone on the other line, knowing he would strike fast if she tried to warn anyone at her work. A smirk crossed his face when she also ordered the same person to have his file pulled and taken to her office. Part of him was mildly curious what that file covered, but for the most part, he didn’t care.

“Fred, why don’t you go into the kitchen and get us some tea. I still have a few things to discuss with our ‘guest’,” he suggested gently.

“Of course,” she replied brightly, not really wanting to leave but understanding why he wanted her too. “Black for you and hemlock for the witch, right?” She stifled a giggle at the glare Lilah shot her way before she hurried into the kitchen.

Giles bit back a laugh at Fred’s parting shot. He sat down on the couch, facing Lilah, his muscles still coiled to deal with this viper that had been the bane of his friend’s existence for the last few years. When she completed the call, he reached out, closing a strong hand over the phone and taking it away from her. 

“I’ll just hang on to this until you leave. If you behave, you may have it back,” he said as if he were talking to a five-year-old. “Now...you want to tell me what you were planning on accomplishing by darkening Wesley’s door? Come to try and convince him how alone he is? Get him to join Wolfram and Hart as a trophy in your petty war against Angel? Something that once belonged to the pillock is now yours? I have news for you, Lilah. Good men like Wesley are never alone, so you might want to try that tactic on someone else.”

Lilah stared at Giles, trying not to tip her hand when he managed to get her reason for being there in one. An important member of Angel Investigations banished and alone? It was too good an opportunity to pass up. “Don’t you think that’s up to Wesley to decide? After all, he is a big boy now, isn’t he? ‘Course, you know, if you’re so fascinated by what we’re up to and why we’re so interested in Wesley, you could also come on over and check things out. Who knows, you might even find it to your liking. We’d never take you for granted, unlike some other associations.”

“No, it’s not up to Wesley,” Giles growled. “He is mine.” His green eyes flared dangerously. “So is Fred.” He knew he was being immensely unfair to both of them, talking of them like this. But they couldn’t afford to play games with the likes of Wolfram and Hart.

“Well, aren’t you the greedy one? Both of them?” When on earth did he have the time? Although she did have to say that he was rather good-looking. She could understand why they would be taken with him. In fact, she was finding herself rather turned on by him, and she – as a rule – never let that happen.

Giles maneuvered himself on the couch so that he was leaning in her personal space even more. He grinned when she called him greedy, his lips nearly upon her neck. He knew under different circumstances he could claim this woman easily. Beautiful, dangerous...she was just what Ripper liked. “Yes, well, mother always said I never played well with others.” His breath washed across her throat before he slipped his tongue out for a taste of warm skin. “I don’t believe in sharing,” he added, nipping the spot before working his way toward her ear.

“And if I catch you so much as sniffing around them...well, I’ll tell you what I told the vampire and his associate. I will assume you are here to do your worst, and I will take action accordingly. You’re a bright girl; I assume you know what this means?” He turned his sleeve up and bared his tattoo to her before leaning closer. “I can tell you what it means to me. I won’t hesitate to use darkness to serve my purposes. And my two biggest purposes since the death of my Slayer are in this flat.” Trailing a finger down the side of her throat, he was amused to see her barely prevent the shiver that wanted to crawl up her spine. 

When she saw the tattoo, knowing what it meant, knowing the darkness that he could tap, she couldn’t help finding that the most incredibly sexy thing she had seen in a long time. Darkness attracted her, always had, and she would give anything to play with the darkness she was witnessing here. Revel in it, relish in it. It took every ounce of will power she had just to keep from moaning when he touched her.

“A fancy organization such as Wolfram and Hart, I’m certain binds employees through magic,” he continued. “Their contracts don’t end when they die. Death is only the beginning. Tell me, Lilah, what do you think would happen to your soul if I bound you to me before I snapped your neck? It would be so easy with you here. A little blood...then my magic and the Firm’s magic pulling at your soul until it shatters, condemning you to purgatory. I’m sure Wesley and Fred would find that immensely amusing considering the hell you’ve put them through.”

Suddenly, Lilah felt very, very cold.

“You can’t protect them forever,” she whispered, her throat raw, the words weak. Both of them knew. But she had to say something. “You can’t watch them all the time. And if I’m not there, someone else will just take my place. My bosses can be very insistent when they want something.”

He chuckled darkly when she decided to push him even more, but there was nothing happy about the sound. “Try me,” he said, before drawing her lobe between his teeth and biting hard enough to draw blood. “You want a war with me? Your bosses can anticipate a high body count.”

Lilah let out a full body shudder at his growl, knowing that had this been under other circumstances, she would have been pushing this man to the floor. She had never had foreplay this good, and it was being wasted. No wonder both Wesley and Fred were his.

“What are your terms?” she finally managed to make herself ask. “I give you this, and you have to give me something to take back to my bosses.”

“Simple,” Giles replied “You get the vampire, his seer and his so-called muscle with no interference from me and mine in Sunnydale or in L.A. The Watchers Council doesn’t give a whit about Angel or his sodding soul. And anyone who allies themselves with him is fare game. He turned on someone important to me. I now, officially, feel the same,” he explained. “You want Angel? Take him, kill him, drive him insane – I don’t care. But Wesley and Fred are off limits to you and yours.”

The twig and the brain in exchange for the rest of the Good N Plenties? Not exactly what she would have wanted, but she supposed it would have to do because she knew there was no way in hell she’d be getting out of here alive if she didn’t agree. And given her contract, she knew which was currently preferable.

“All right. They’re off limits. I’ll make sure the others know.” She hated saying it, but she had no choice. “Too bad. You and Wesley could have had great careers with Wolfram and Hart. You ever change your—.”

The look he shot her kept her from completing her sentence. There would be no changed minds. Looked like she’d have to find a different way to get to Angel now. The kid was still missing – she could probably still turn that to her advantage.

The doorbell rang a moment later, and Lilah never thought she’d be so glad to hear a sound like that in her life. “That would be the courier.”

“I’ll just get that,” he smiled, the warmth on his face deceptive to the power coiled underneath.

He answered the door, aware of Lilah’s location at all times. She was not the type of woman that one blindly turned their backs on and lived to tell the tale.

“Thank you.” He snatched the case from the courier before he had a chance to object and slammed the door in his face. Turning back toward the woman on the couch, he opened the contents, his green eyes darkening. “You used a highlighter on the Niazian scrolls? I should kill you for such desecration. There isn’t a mystical court in any dimension that would hold me accountable.” He sighed, tucking the parchments back into the case. “But, you delivered, and as I don’t plan on seeing you again, I’ll overlook it.”

His eyes narrowed on the woman in front of him. She was already plotting.

“Lilah...the boy is mine too. You said I was greedy; I might as well live up to it.” He smirked. “Wesley and I will find him. He no longer belongs to Angel as he hasn’t allied himself by choice. Taunt him with the fact that he’s lost his son all you like, but we will find Connor, and he will stay with us. He’s an innocent; you, however, are not. I don’t give a damn what you tell the Senior Partners. Tell them he was never found...probably would be safer for you if you did.”

“You wou—,” she started to say before she stopped herself, realizing that he would. And he had just made her their damn accomplice in all this. If the Partners knew she knew what Giles was planning, she was dead. If Giles knew she had tattled, she wad worse than dead. “Damn you’re good.”

Giles laughed, this time the sound genuine. It had taken some maneuvering, but in the end, he not only had enough to keep Lilah Morgan off of their asses but also made it so it was in her best interest to cover them as well as herself. Not bad for a day’s work. 

Pushing herself off the couch, she walked over to him. “You know, it really is too bad we had to end up like this. We could have been something...hot, together.” She held out her hand. “I believe you have something of mine?”

“Maybe another lifetime, pet. My tastes tend to stay toward the lighter side of things these days.” He smirked, passing her phone back to her. “Wish I could say it has been a pleasure, but we both know I’d be lying.”

He opened the door, waiting for her to step out. Once she did, he could tell she was about to say something else, but he cut her off when he slammed it shut, immediately turning the lock. He looked toward the kitchen with a broad smile.

“You can come out now, Fred. The big, bad witch is gone,” he teased, genuinely pleased how things worked out.

Fred had been listening in the door of the kitchen, trying not to laugh out loud at the sound of Lilah trying to go toe to toe with Giles and finding herself woefully outclassed. It was wonderful to witness the great Lilah Morgan going down in flames, even if she didn’t actually see it. Hearing it was enough.

When he called to her, she was out into the living room like a shot, a huge grin on her fact. “I’ve never seen anyone take Lilah on that way and actually win. That was amazing.” She wanted to ask him about what he had said – about his claiming Wesley and her as his, but she knew that had just been for Lilah’s benefit, to make her leave them alone. Hadn’t it? So instead, she asked about the other question she had on her mind, “Did you mean what you said? We’re going to get Connor back...and not return him to Angel?”

“I meant everything I said to her. Wesley’s instincts were good on this. I’m sure of it. Now that we have the scrolls back, he can confirm it to his own satisfaction. I don’t want him to have to live the rest of his life never knowing. “

Fred’s eyes opened wide. He thought that the scrolls were right. That Wesley had been right despite what that Sahjahn had claimed? That meant that... Suddenly, she was across the living room and throwing her arms around Giles. “He was right?”

Giles smiled warmly, his free arm wrapped around Fred. “I think he was. Wesley has developed good instincts. I don’t think he would have made a move like he did without some inkling of what he believed to be the truth. If I had to hazard a guess, I’d say this Sahjahn had his own plans for Connor, and Holtz’s vendetta against Angel interfered with that. Wesley just got caught up in the middle. Opening the rift was the only thing Sahjahn could do to salvage the situation and still accomplish his goals.”

“Oh, God, when he finds that out... We never would have known for sure if you hadn’t come up here and gotten that back from her.”

He stroked a hand down her hair. “You called me because you thought Wesley needed me. And I promised you I would look out for both of you. That includes emotional stability as well as physical. This is how I take care of my friends,” he explained.

He was puzzled that she acted like it something out of the norm for him. But in all fairness, she didn’t really know him. 

“We will get Connor back, and if that boy is in danger from Angel, as most people around him are, I have no intention of returning him. I’ll contact the Council to have them organize papers showing you as Connor’s mother and Wesley as his father. You’ve been in Pylea for five years, and Wesley is a good-looking man who keeps to himself. There’s no way they can disprove the documents.” Giles tossed the sack he was still holding down on the table so he could wrap his other arm around her. “It’s now in Lilah’s best interest to cover our asses on this, even if it is only to cover her own with her bosses. We just have to find the boy first. The first step in that will be to get Wesley to stop doubting himself.”

She considered what he had said about her becoming Connor’s mother. “Do you—do you think we can really pull that off? What if the others find out? They’re going to know that I’m not—that Wesley and I aren’t—they’re gonna know.”

“Whether they know it or not is one thing. It will be the word of a man who doesn’t exist, a girl in her twenties who has lost contact with not only her friends but also her family and an orphaned street thug with a police record against you, me and Wesley backed by the weight of the Watchers Council. They won’t be able to prove a thing.”

She nodded, closing her eyes, imagining what it would be like to have Connor back and to be a mother to him. After helping to take care of him for so long, she had come to love and care for the little boy as much as she would have a child of her own. Taking that last step with Wesley’s and Giles’ help wouldn’t be hard. She was willing to do whatever it took to protect him. No one would hurt him, not even Angel. No one would hurt him or Wesley. She and Giles would make sure of that.

“I said I’d do whatever it takes for Wesley. When we get Connor back, I’m willing to do this for both of them.”

“Good girl, that’s just what I wanted to hear.” Giles smiled, resting his chin on the head of the woman his friend loved. “Wesley needs us to be strong for him right now. This mistake is going to take him awhile to get over, so all we can do is love him and give him time. He’ll get stronger more quickly under those circumstances. He just needs hope. We can give him that.”

“Well, that’s good because love and time I have in abundance.” Sighing softly, she shook her head slightly. “It’s amazing how so much can change in so little time. Never thought I would have been standing here just a few days ago, but now I’m here and I can’t imagine being anywhere else. Doesn’t seem right somehow that I possibly couldn’t be here.” She pulled away slightly and looked up at Giles. “Where will we start with all this? I wanted to tell Wesley what you did...do you think that’s a good idea?”

He laughed, stepping back. He could see her excitement. She was practically vibrating with it. She reminded him so much of Willow when she was younger. “You deserve this, and so much more. With Wesley, you have a chance at it.” He smiled, giving her a nod. “And by all means, tell him. It might do him some good to know that the scroll is here and what we plan to do with it.” He glanced down at his watch. “He should be up again within the hour. I’ll make the call to the Council and see what texts they can find on Quor’Toth. I’ll have them sent here. Until then, we can work with Wesley’s books and the few I brought with me.”

“Sounds good. And I actually started the kettle again while I was in there, so we can have fresh tea as well. Don’t worry, though, I didn’t actually put any hemlock in any of the cups. Wesley seems to be fresh out of it.” She wrinkled her nose for a moment. “Maybe we should pick some up if we have to do a supply run. Just in case.”

“Ahh, I shouldn’t worry about Lilah. By herself, she’s a little amusing, but I’ve dealt with far more dangerous creatures than her. And by claiming Connor as well as the two of you, I’ve tied her hands, guaranteeing she cannot use her precious firm against us. In this case, it will actually be in her best interest to help us. I know someone very much like Lilah Morgan. They’ll push you until you think you might break, but when it boils down to it, self preservation is all they care about,” Giles told her, thinking of Ethan. Maybe he would make it up to the lawyer and send his old friend her way. “Now, why don’t you get that tea? I’ll bite the bullet and be your first guinea pig. I’ll make the call before you get back.”

Fred nodded with a smile, knowing that if he said that Lilah Morgan would never darken their doorstep again, then he was probably right. Turning, she grabbed the two abandoned cups of tea they had never finished due to the lawyer’s earlier arrival and hurried back into the kitchen, where she set about making a fresh pot after rinsing out what was left from before. As she worked, her mind wandered. The idea of becoming a mother – especially to the son of vampires, and one vampire in particular – was a bit daunting, but she knew that they could do it. Part of her wanted to tell the others that they had been wrong and Wesley had been right to clear his name with them, but after what had happened at the Hyperion, she knew that it probably wouldn’t do any good whatsoever. They would believe what they wanted to believe.

So it would be her and Wesley and Giles, and they would make sure that Connor was taken care of and loved, and she would also make sure that Wesley was taken care of as well with Giles’ help. After scooping five teaspoons into the pot, she poured the water in from the kettle on the stove and let it steep while she rinsed out the cups. She loved Wesley and knew Giles did too. He would see that they were going to be there for him no matter what.

 

*****

Out in the lounge, Giles picked up the phone and immediately dialed the familiar number. He smiled when his friend’s voice picked up after three rings.

“Collins.”

“Mark, it’s Rupert. I’m calling in that favor we talked about. Tell Burke I’m calling his in too. I need you both to do this quietly but quickly. Go to the Library. I need all information you can dig up on Quor’Toth. It’s another dimension. Everything I’ve heard leads me to believe it’s a hell dimension. So start there with your search. I don’t care how small the reference, I want it all sent here to Los Angeles,” he instructed, hearing his friend writing things down. 

“You’re in L.A.? Does Quentin know?” the man asked.

“Probably not, but when have I given a flying fart about what Quentin knows or thinks. I’m at Wesley Wyndam-Pryce’s flat in L.A. You can send what you find here. I need it all. We have a spot of trouble here that needs a resolution as fast as possible.”

“All right, Rupert, you’ll have to give us at least a day to track it down. We can magick it over if it’s that important,” Collins offered.

“It is. And you do this for me, both of you are squared,” Giles told him.

“Well then, I best get to work then. Until later then.”

He heard the call disconnect and replaced the receiver.

 

*****

In the kitchen, Fred set the tea pot and cups on the serving tray. She poured some milk in the creamer and placed that and the sugar bowl on the tray as well before taking it out into the other room. Looking over at Giles as he hung up the phone, she put the tray on the coffee table, figuring they would be working there.

“Did you get in touch with them?” she asked.

“Hmmmm?” he replied absentmindedly, his thoughts going a mile a minute as he was already plotting out a course of action and the steps that needed to be made to carry it out. He suddenly realized what she had asked and turned to face her. “Yes, actually. Two of my associates will be searching the Council Library. I didn’t go into detail but stressed the importance of those materials. It might take a few days, but they’ll magick everything they find here.” He sat on the couch and poured two cups of tea, remembering how Fred had prepared hers the first time. He passed her the cup. “The groundwork has been laid, but the trick is going to be tracking down the exact spell or ritual to allow us to get to this Quor’Toth. Between the three of us, it shouldn’t be a problem, though.”

She nodded. “I guess now would be a good time to mention that I took the best research and magic books we had from the office when I was packing things up. They’re in the bottom of the box.” Setting the tea cup down for a moment, she hurried over and pulled the books out. “I wasn’t sure if all of them were Wesley’s or the group’s, but I...I kind of figured that we’d have better use for them than they would. And I think I was being a bit spiteful.”

Walking back over to the couch and sitting down, she passed a couple of the books over to Giles. “I know that Wesley and I always used these when we were trying to find out information.”

“Brogin’s Rituals. The Black Chronicles. Davidoff’s Demon Anthology. These are all very thorough books. Wesley has taught you well.” Giles smiled proudly. “Later, I’ll call Tara as well. Have her send The Pergamum Codex.” He was amused by her curious look. “The most likely candidate to have gone to a place like Quor’Toth would be a past Slayer. The Pergamum Codex is the Slayer’s codex, which documents past feats as well as future prophecies. We may find a lead in it. The book was missing for several generations, thought to be lost. So when Angel brought it to me in Sunnydale that first year, I tied the book to me directly, so I would always know where it was. I can call it here myself, but with Lilah, and Angel and the others – I’d rather conserve my energy.”

She nodded at that. No doubt that Wolfram and Hart would be on the look out for anything pointing to a book like that if it was so important, and using a binding spell to call it would most certainly attract their attention faster that anything. 

“You said that the rest of the stuff should be here from the Council in two days. How long do you think it might take to figure this out once we get it? If this world is as bad as Angel made it sounded, it’s possible—I mean, I don’t want to think that it could, but—what if...?” She couldn’t make herself finish the sentence. In fact, she found that she didn’t want to finish the sentence. She wanted to believe that it wouldn’t be too late by the time they got everything figured out and that Holtz would keep Connor alive until they could go in and save him.

“I wouldn’t worry about Connor,” he told her, sensing the direction of her thoughts. “Darla was over three hundred years old while Angelus one of the most bloodthirsty creatures that ever existed, and Daniel Holtz kept them on the run for nearly half a century. That should be testament enough to his effectiveness. Killing Connor wouldn’t be in his best interest. We have no way of knowing how time progresses there, so he may need the boy as he grows, to protect himself when he becomes too old to fight. Besides, his revenge on Angel is more potent if he raises the boy to hate his father than by just slaughtering him outright. I think if it comes down to it, he’ll protect Connor with his life.”

Nodding her head, she glanced over at the door to Wesley’s bedroom instead. “Should we wake him up or get started on this and let him sleep for now?”

He was about to suggest they allow him to sleep but was cut off by the knocking on the door jam. He looked up and smiled at a slightly groggy looking Wesley, leaning against the wall near his bedroom doorway. “No need. Sleeping beauty arises on his own.”

“Hey,” Fred said, jumping up from the couch and crossing over to wrap her arms around Wes, helping him back over to sit down. She wanted to immediately spill what was going on and tell him what had happened with Lilah but figured that it would be better to at least get him settled before overwhelming him with all the information. “How are you feeling?”

Giles had to tamp down on the urge to go help his friend to the couch. He reminded himself that that place was Fred’s, first and foremost. Oddly enough, though, he didn’t begrudge her for it despite his own feelings regarding the younger man. She loved Wesley – anyone with eyes could see that. And he adored seeing the smile her mere presence put on his friend’s face. He angled himself on the couch to allow Wes more room, waiting for him to get settled, but his gaze was on Fred. He smiled. She was excited. 

“Fred, just tell him before you bounce out of here with excitement,” he teased, passing Wes one of his pads and a pen.

Feel fine. Rested, Wes wrote. He looked between his friend and his love, wondering what they were up to. Tell me what?

“We had a guest while you were asleep – Lilah Morgan,” Fred said after sticking her tongue out at Giles and then winking. Childish, she knew, but she couldn’t help it. Besides, she only ever stuck out her tongue at people she liked. “She wanted to try to get to you, but Giles told her to stay the hell away from us and then got her to bring us the piece of the Niazian Scroll she stole, so we have it back now, and Giles thinks that you were right about the prophecy, no matter what Sahjahn said—you were right! And he thinks we can get Connor back too.”

Wesley looked at Fred, eyes wide, the shock of what she had said, consuming him to the point that he didn’t even hear Giles’ soft laugh. The fact that Lilah had surfaced to get to him didn’t even matter either. Rupert had retrieved the scrolls from her. The pieces of parchment that could have saved him and Fred both a mountain load of grief and pain – they were in his possession once again. He was almost afraid to look at them. Looking up when he felt the hand on his shoulder, his eyes filled with tears seeing the gentle smile on his friend’s face. Wesley’s breathing began to pick up as the emotions rocked him to the core. The pain, the anguish... For the first time in months, there was a chance to know if it was all worth it. If he was right, Holtz’s interference had only delayed the prophecy. He could still do this right. His shoulders began to shake with the weight of the guilt starting to uncoil, and the tears flowed freely. Giles didn’t hesitate this time, wrapping his arms around the thin shoulders and pulling him against his chest. He held him tightly, allowing him to ride things out, as he whispered soothing noises into the younger man’s ear.

The smile dropping off her face, Fred leaned into Wesley as Giles held him against his chest, wrapping her arms around him from the other side and holding on to him tightly, her arms resting over Giles’. She hadn’t meant it to come out as fast as it had, but it had. And they had a second chance now. A chance to prove he was right.

“Just let it out,” Giles encouraged him, knowing full well, this release went much further back than the debacle with Connor. This extended years back, perhaps into his childhood. And now, for the first time, Wesley had the means to vindicate his decision...even if it was only to himself. He suspected Wesley might react this way, but he was certain he needed it. The only thing Giles regretted was not having the forethought to warn Fred. He looked down at the dark head on his shoulder, tamping down on the protest his ribs wanted to make in protest of Wesley’s desperate grip.

After several minutes, the worst of it seemed over. He lifted Wes’ gaze to meet his, his heart skipping a beat at the soulful look in those tear-filled blue eyes. There was no shame, no fear, and no sense of loss that had been present the night before. There was determination, gratefulness, and something more Giles just couldn’t put his finger on.

“I called in a few favors. Texts are on the way. We’ll confirm your translation, then we’re going to go to Quor’Toth to collect Connor,” Giles promised him, pressing his lips to Wesley’s forehead. “No more guilt, Wesley. That wanker you call your father, he’s not here. You were caught in a very ugly situation that Fred and I are going to help you make right.” 

Fred kept her hand on Wesley’s back as Giles told him what they had planned. “What happened wasn’t your fault – you were right and did the only thing you could, Wesley,” she told him when Giles finished speaking, her hand moving up to the back of his head, running through his hair. She looked over into Giles’ eyes as she said this, seeing the assurance there, knowing that both of them together would make sure that Wesley succeeded in this. “I took all the books that we always used for research from Angel Investigations – didn’t know if they were yours particularly but figured that didn’t matter. We can use them to get started until the rest of what Giles has asked for arrived.”

Reaching around him, she clasped her hand over his and Giles’ to show that they were in this together, all the way, however long it took and even beyond that. “I believe in you, Wesley. I know we can do this together.”

Giles smiled as Fred’s hand close over theirs, feeling himself indebted to this small woman. Without her, he would have only been able to help Wesley so much. Her devotion to the younger man was even stronger than his. Now, not only did they have a chance to get him past this one incident, but also, Wesley could be happy. He just lay still when Wesley put his hand in the middle of his chest, using him as leverage to sit up. But what surprised him was when the hand was left there. He could feel the small circles being rubbed on his chest in a silent thank you. 

Wesley looked between them sheepishly. He was a little embarrassed about the loss of his composure, but neither of them looked down on him for it. Quite the opposite. He felt Giles’ hand close over his, holding it to his chest as he focused on Fred. Reaching his free hand up, he slid it along her jaw, curling around the back of her neck. Slowly, he pulled her toward him, leaning in and giving her a deep kiss. Lost in the sensations of her mouth, her taste, he didn’t hear the older man’s breathing catch. 

Giles looked down at his traitorous body. Wesley had been practically lying on top of him as he cried, and his body’s desires had made its presence felt acutely. Shifting when Wesley leaned toward Fred, he winced when his zipper rubbed over his very hard flesh. He needed to calm himself before he continued. 

“Fred, give him the satchel with the scrolls.” He turned his attention toward Wes. “You can start on those. Nothing too taxing. I’ll be right back.” He shifted off the couch and disappeared into the bathroom. 

She glanced over at him when Wesley broke their kiss, it taking a moment for what he was telling her to process. Then she understood and nodded. Watching him as he got up and headed into the bathroom, she felt her eyes widen when she noticed Giles’...state. Those jeans had been way too tight.

Looking back over at Wesley, she wondered if he had noticed. Both men quite obviously were attracted to each other, and Wes was attracted to her, the way her lips still tingled from the kiss he had given her more than ample evidence of that. Reaching over, she ran her hand along Wesley’s cheek, her mind a whirl from all this, wondering where it would all lead – how they would deal with all the electricity being created in this flat. They still hadn’t told them about their plan regarding Connor once they retrieved him. Would he agree with that – it would tie the two of them together absolutely. Would he want that? Would he allow it?

Wesley was still reeling in shock a bit. He and Rupert Giles had started out as foes who had happened to be fighting on the same side. He wasn’t a total fool; he knew he had been insufferable, pompous and beyond arrogant. He was thankful for their friendship now. Vaguely, he wondered what he had said to Lilah, considering the viper he knew would never concede so easily.

But then Wesley realized what part of this entire mess surprised him most – Rupert Giles was fixing his life, and instead of feeling babied, like he would have even four years ago, he felt loved and cared for. Being alone as a child, that hadn’t been his choice. But now, he realized he didn’t have to be. He had two very wonderful people willing to do anything for him. The feeling was warming.

Leaning over, Fred kissed him again then went over and got the satchel from the desktop and brought it back over. Sitting back down beside him, she pulled them out to give to him. “Giles said something about Lilah having highlighted the scroll she stole. Surprised she actually got out of here alive after having done that.”

His blue eyes narrowed in anger at that. Pulling it out, he opened it, emitting a groan at the damage then wincing at the pain that flared across his throat. 

“Hey, don’t let what that witch did cause you to hurt your throat anymore,” she told him, seeing the expression on his face. Reaching over for the empty cup sitting on the tray on the coffee table, she poured him a cup of tea and made it up for him. “Here. I made this a little bit ago, so it should be cool enough for you to drink now. Neither of us want you back in the hospital because some lawyer doesn’t know how to properly handle ancient texts. She’s not worth that.”

Wesley looked around the flat for a moment, spotting his pills on the counter. He didn’t want to depend on them so soon after waking up. He decided he would tough it out as long as he could without them. Grabbing his pad from the table, He quickly wrote down his thoughts.

Still not right. She’s basically made these scrolls worthless to anyone besides me, he wrote before a slow smile crossed his face. So Rupert really put her in her place? Makes me sorry I missed it considering what she did to these. Careless bint.

“Oh, he definitely put her in her place. Basically did what Angel was never able to do, and in about two minutes flat. I don’t think I even thought I would live to see it, but he did it. He’s definitely something special.” Looking over his shoulder, she looked at the scrolls and saw the yellow highlights across the aged paper, amazed that she didn’t destroy the writing on there by doing it. Most old-fashioned inks would have disappeared or smeared upon reacting with the chemicals in modern highlighters. It made her wonder if the ink had been enchanted to make sure it didn’t fade because it didn’t look like it had weathered anywhere nearly as badly as the paper.

Wesley nodded, agreeing with her sentiment about Rupert. He had believed so for some time. Intelligent blue eyes immediately scanned the document, finding where his translation had left off instantly. He was still mentally cursing Lilah Morgan. Her theft of the document had stalled his translations and caused undue heartache for all of them. But it was nice to know his old friend had got one over on her. So lost was he in his own thoughts, he never heard the man in question approach. 

“I shouldn’t worry about Lilah Morgan, Wesley. I made myself clear – the two of you are off limits. As far as she is concerned, you are mine. So is the boy. She has no choice but to cover our asses once we retrieve Connor or her bosses will know she lied to them, and somehow, I don’t see them as particularly forgiving,” Giles explained, looking over his shoulder from behind the couch. He nodded when Wesley turned to face him, the question in his eyes. “I suspect you were right. And Connor is still in danger from Angel. Once we retrieve him, he’ll stay with us with you and Fred listed as his biological parents. All of this will, of course, be backed by ‘official’ documents supplied by the Council.”

While Giles allowed him to process what he had just said, Wesley considered what he was proposing. Part of him felt guilty. Angel had been his friend. And here they were talking about keeping his son away from him as casually as they would discuss the weather. But Giles was right. If the vampire was still a danger to the child, it was their duty to protect him. He knew that the part of the vampire that was his friend would have wanted that. Looking between Giles and Fred, he nodded. He was in for whatever plan they came up with. 

Fred let out a little sigh of relief when Wesley agreed to their plan to keep Connor as their own son. Knowing that he understood took a lot of the worry out of this – or at least an important part. Yes, they had to worry about getting him back and there was always the chance that Angel might find out what they had done and come after them, but at least they were in this together. It would give Connor a chance to grow up in a more normal environment too, away from the demons and lawyers and people who wanted to harm simply because he was Angel’s son.

Picking up her own cup of tea, she took a few sips – it hadn’t turned out bad for her first try, actually. She just hoped the other two thought so although it was quite likely neither of them would say anything just to be nice. She tried to translate the scroll Wesley was reading herself but was only able to pick up a few phrases here and there. Although one of them she did know, having poured over Wesley’s notes after discovering he was gone.

“Isn’t that the word for father?” she asked, pointing it out but not touching the scroll. “I thought I saw that in your notes.”

Wesley looked down at the scroll, his eyes following the passage Fred was indicating. His brain was already switching over to the necessary dialects that would translate the passage to English. Grabbing his pad, he began writing. 

“The Father, once consumed by light, will lose everything. Darkness will prevail...” He paused, his eyes widening as he read the next passage. “The Son, and all surrounding him, will die,” he added, slumping back on the couch. He was numb. After everything he had been through these past months, he was right, and he didn’t know how to wrap his mind around that. Darkness will prevail... Did that mean the return of Angelus? Or would it be a repeat of the time he fired them? He looked up at Giles. Darkness will prevail? Angelus? he wrote, tilting the pad where the other man could read it before showing it to Fred. 

“I don’t know, Wesley,” Giles replied cautiously as Fred read what he had written. “I think for Connor’s sake, we have to assume the worst. If Angelus will indeed return, I think we should consider returning to Sunnydale once we’ve retrieved the boy. Here in L.A., we’d be sitting ducks for him. At least on the Hellmouth, we have the others to help protect him. I’ll call Anya tonight and tell her to locate an orb of Thessulah. Willow will be in danger as well. Angelus knows she’s the only one who can put his soul back.” 

Fred felt her heart catch in her chest when she saw the translation. It was one thing to think that the prophecy was true and that Wesley had been right – to see it written down made it all the more real. Angel was a danger to Connor.

She looked over at Giles at he spoke about them moving to Sunnydale to be safer. He was probably right. This was Angel’s territory. And Wolfram and Hart’s. Between them, if it was ever discovered what they had done, they wouldn’t have a chance. Especially if they decided to work together – which she was sure Angelus would do in a heartbeat, given everything that had been said about him, about what he had done previously to Giles and those he loved.

“What’s the Orb of Thessulah?” she asked, having never heard of that before. She couldn’t recall ever having run across a mention of it in any of the research she and Wesley had ever done.

Wesley looked up at Giles, figuring it would be easier for him to explain than trying to write it out. 

“An Orb of Thessulah is used to pull souls from the ether. It’s also the main component in Angel’s curse. Draw the soul into the orb, and the words of the spell put it back in Angelus,” Giles explained. “Jenny managed to translate the spell from the ancient tongue to at least something we could use before...before she was killed. Willow used my orb to re-ensoul him the last time he was loose. They’re somewhat hard to come by, but that’s where the advantage of employing a former demon comes into play. She has quite an impressive list of contacts.”

Fred shook her head in amazement. “I didn’t realize it was that complicated. I always thought they were just able to pull his soul from wherever it was and put it back in his body based on what the others said.”

“No.” Giles gave her a half-smile. “Jenny was a member of the Romany tribe that cursed him, and only they knew the clause in his curse, so there had been no need for it for over a century. The dialects had evolved, so it was a matter of translating the original texts. She had to track it down among her own people.” He shrugged. “I suppose we know a little more about it because of her and having to deal with Angelus the last time he was loose.”

She wondered if any of them would be prepared if—when Angel lost his soul again. It was coming, after all – the Darkness. That was what the prophecy said. “So are we planning to try to re-ensoul him when this does happen? Give him another chance?” 

He looked down at Wes at this. He could see the turmoil in his friend’s eyes and sighed, remembering that neither of them had dealt firsthand with the bloodthirsty side of the vampire before. “I know if you ask my people, Xander, Spike and Anya would say dust him right off. Xander especially still bears some hard feelings about the last time. However, out of respect for Buffy and the friendship the both of you shared with him in the past, I say try re-ensouling first. But I caution you both. Angelus is tricky. Plans may change, and to protect all of you, as well as Connor, I will kill him if neccessary.” 

She believed him – it was in his eyes, in his actions toward Angel, Cordy, Charles and Lilah earlier. He wouldn’t hesitate, and he wouldn’t grieve if he had to do it because to him, there were more important people to save. It still seemed a little weird to be talking about Angel this way, to be talking about the man who had helped saved her from Pylea and had given her a place to stay and a job and had shown her how to live her life again with the help of the others. But she knew that given what they were planning, what they had found out, they didn’t have a choice.

“I understand,” she said softly, her eyes locking with Wesley as she said this. “Maybe I should make something for us to eat while you guys get started? I have a feeling we’re going to be at this for a while.”

“There’s some leftover potatoes in the fridge. Maybe we could have those with eggs?” Giles suggested, knowing Wes could handle the soft texture of the eggs. “You can choose, though.” He smiled – she understood his desire to not make Wes feel any more self conscious about his soft food diet than he already was. “Skin and Bones here can point out the texts he has, and we’ll get started on this end.”

Wesley smirked when Giles called him too skinny. He saw a knowing look in Fred’s eyes, seeing that she agreed with him. It wasn’t that he tried to starve himself. He would just get caught up in his work and would forget to eat until someone shoved something under his nose. He nodded, part of him warmed by the fact that these two wonderful people kept on him so much.

Fred grinned when she saw Wesley’s reaction to Giles’ jibe. Maybe finally he would take some notice of his awful eating habits and the fact that he had been letting himself waste away recently. “Eggs it is, then,” she said, pushing herself up off the couch. She picked up the tray as well. “I’ll also refresh the tea. Knowing Wesley’s research methods, we’re going to be needing a lot of refills.”

Heading into the kitchen, she left the two men alone to get started on searching through the books.

 

*****


	4. Chapter 4

Giles left Wesley to translate the rest of the scroll, hoping that it would give them some insight into what was coming. He pulled half a dozen books from Wesley’s collection and, grabbing a pad, set about his own research, taking notes when he came across anything they could use. About 45 minutes later, Fred resurfaced with tea and food, but no one was willing to stop researching, so they ate on the couch.

Gathering more details from Fred about this Sahjahn, Giles decided to change tactics. After passing his notes and the few texts he had over to her, he concentrated on following the trail of the demon himself. Knowing Sahjahn’s powers might help them understand how to get into Quor’Toth a little easier. So while Wes concentrated on the scroll and Fred on the location itself, he focused his efforts on the thing that caused all of this. They stuck to those assignments for a good eight hours with either he or Fred taking breaks to refresh the tea. It wasn’t until the words on the page started to run together that he looked up.

“I think I’m done for now. I’ve read this same paragraph at least a half dozen times,” he admitted, closing his book. He smirked over at Wes, who was still engrossed in the scroll. “And you...” He nudged the younger man with his shoulder. “You need sleep. I know you’re excited about this, but we aren’t going to do Connor any good if we’re half-dead from exhaustion.” 

Fred nodded in agreement and put her book down along with the pad of paper she had been taking notes on before stretching out her back. “I didn’t think I’d ever say this, but if I read anymore, I’m pretty sure my brain’s going to explode from information overload.”

Looking over at Wesley, she saw he was still reading the scroll despite Giles’ telling him to stop for the night. With a shake of her head, she reached over and slid the scroll out of his hands, replacing the empty space with one of her own and handing the parchment over to Giles.

“No more, or you’re gonna go cross-eyed.” She stood up from the couch, still holding Wesley’s hand in hers. “I—I’ll come with you if you’d like,” she told him, knowing that one of them should probably stay with him to make sure that he got some sleep.

Giles chuckled softly, taking the parchment from Fred. Despite her claims of not knowing Wesley as well as she should, it was clear she had his number on a great many things. She also had his heart, which made the young woman very important to Giles. “I’ll clean up, and take the couch. You two take the bed,” he offered, already moving to stack everything neatly. “We can pick this up in the morning.” 

Wesley blushed when he realized the others were talking to him. He had zoned out, deep in research again. He swallowed past the lump in his throat when she offered to sleep in his bed. Nodding hesitantly, he entwined their fingers, giving her hand a squeeze. Looking up with a shy smile, he nodded at Rupert. ‘Night,’ he mouthed to the other man before bracing his weight on the couch and forcing himself into a standing position.

He allowed Fred to lead him into the bedroom before dropping his tired body on the bed. Slowly, he began to undo the buttons on his shirt, peeling it off his body. He popped the snap on the jeans and had them half way down his long legs before he realized that he was getting naked in front of Fred. He ducked his head in embarrassment, not sure whether to pull them back up or to finish taking them off. 

She had just closed the door and turned around when she saw him sitting on the bed, his shirt off and his hands frozen over his jeans. Walking over, she knelt in front of him, placing her hands over his. “It’s okay. You don’t have to be embarrassed.”

Then she looked at his chest more closely...and realized why he probably had stopped. His entire torso was riddled with scars – long lacerated cuts and what looked to be bite marks and what could only be a gun shot wound. It looked like he had been to hell and back just based on the damage across his body. Now it seemed he had another scar for the collection.

“Oh, Wesley,” she whispered, her fingers tracing over the marred skin. He had obviously been through more than anyone should ever have to deal with. “What—can you tell me...what happened?” She glanced over to the pad of paper sitting on the side table. 

Wesley took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. After sliding the jeans the rest of the way off and leaving them on the floor, he reached for the pad on the side table with trembling fingers. He hadn’t meant for Fred to find out this way, but now that the situation was inescapable gracefully, he had to tell her. He didn’t want secrets between them. 

You remember Cordelia and me talking about Faith? The Slayer? he asked, forcing himself to continue when she nodded. She was extremely unstable. Wolfram and Hart tried to use that instability to their favor by hiring her to kill Angel. Only he wouldn’t play her game. She caught Cordelia and me at her flat, knocked Cordelia out and took me to motivate Angel to come after her. We covered two of the five methods of pain. I was beaten severely – ‘blunt’ – and these... He paused and pointed to several scars on his shoulder and chest. These were made by a broken piece of glass from a picture frame – that was ‘sharp.’ The small ones are from when I was inside the first office and it exploded around me. A little present to A.I. from Vocah and Wolfram and Hart. The bite happened after Angel fired us and we decided to continue on with the business. A Demon was trying to drag a pregnant woman away. Gunn and I fought him and saved the girl, but it bit me. He looked down at the gunshot scar, wiping a thumb over it as if it burned. This was from a zombie police man. He was about to shoot Gunn and two of his friends. I interrupted, he explained. The ones on my back are from my father’s lash. Failure to translate something incorrectly or to finish an assignment in the allotted time. He sighed, his body tense, waiting for her to say something. 

Fred gazed over each scar as she read how they had come about. When he told her about the gunshot wound, she nearly started crying – none of them had mentioned that before. Charles had never even uttered a word about it, about the fact that Wesley had obviously saved his life. And he had been so willing to kick him out after that. God, how could she had ever been interested in anyone who would throw away a friendship like that instead of trying to understand why something had been done.

Shaking her head, she continued to trace her fingers over the scars. Even with them, even though he had been through so much, he was beautiful, she thought.

Wesley’s trembling became more pronounced when her fingers grazed his skin. His stomach muscles clenched involuntarily when she traced the scar left by the bullet. He could see her mind working, taking in this new information. He could also see the sadness for him and the pain he had endured. Reaching out a hand, he stroked her hair gently, trying to convey through touch that he was all right now. 

She could see he was waiting for her to say something – anything. She didn’t know what though. Words didn’t seem to be appropriate because anything she could have said just didn’t seem right. So instead, she leaned forward and pressed several kisses to some of the scars before standing up and pushing the top of her dress down to around her waist. She heard his intake of breath, but that wasn’t the reason she had done what she had done.

Biting her lip, she turned around, allowing him to see what she had kept hidden from all the others for the last year.

His breath caught in his chest when she leaned forward, the brush of her lips on his torso, like a direct current to his penis. When she stood suddenly, he watched her curiously, wondering what she was going to do. His eyes widened when she revealed her upper body to him, the beautiful sight of her causing him to gasp. But raising his eyes to her face, he could tell there was something she was nervous about showing him. When she turned around, he felt his heart plummet.

Marring the beautiful skin of her back were crisscrossing scars. Whip marks, no doubt put there by the Pyleans. He felt the tears welling up in his eyes. They knew she had been through hell there, but he hadn’t known to what depths until now. Reaching his hand out, he wrapped an arm around her waist and drew her back into his lap. Angling her so that she could see his face, he leaned forward and kissed her sweetly. He was trying to convey his thoughts in that one taste of her lips. They were both damaged, emotionally and physically, but none of it mattered. Together, they could find the happiness that would allow them to heal. 

Fred would have protested him pulling her into his lap when he was still recovering, but his lips on hers pushed all thoughts of that out of her head. Her eyes drifted closed while they kissed, her hand running up to cup his cheek. They were like that for several long moments, and she could feel what their proximity was doing to him, and it worried her that this might be too much for him, too soon. She loved him – God knew she did – and she wanted to be with him, but she didn’t think he might be ready.

“Wesley,” she whispered against his lips, not wanting to pull away. “I don’t—I mean, I do, but I don’t think you can—you’re still recovering—.”

Wesley pulled back slightly, reaching for the pad once again. His breathing was harsh with the effort of trying to calm his body. He looked deep into her brown eyes, seeing his own desire mirrored back at him. 

I have loved you for nearly a year. I want to show you. Yes my body is weaker. You may have to do the ‘driving. He smirked for a moment. But if you’re not ready, I can wait. I just want you to know you mean too much to me to mess this up. Even if I only hold you tonight, it’s enough.

A smile played across her lips as she read his message. Giles would probably kill her in the morning, but at the moment, she didn’t care much. She just wanted to be with him. Everything had been so intense and frightening and mind-blowing, and now she was here with him, and she didn’t want to waste anymore time.

Taking the pad from him, she put it back on the table and then shifted so she could push him back onto the bed, straddling him as she leaned over to kiss him deeply, careful of his bandages. “This tell you whether I’m ready or not?” she asked softly, straightening up a bit to pull her dress up from around her waist and off her to deposit on the floor. Reaching behind her back, she unsnapped her bra and pulled it off as well.

Wesley lay on his back, looking up at the woman who owned him, heart and soul. He knew she didn’t consider herself a conventional beauty, like Cordelia, but to him, she was exquisite. He gaped at the sight of her long legs, his body standing up to take notice as he wondered how they would feel wrapped around him. When she dropped her bra, he felt his heart skip a beat, his breath freezing in his chest. He reached out a hand for her, drawing her up over his body when she took it.

‘Breathtaking,’ he mouthed, sitting up to claim her lips.

Fred felt the heat rising as they kissed deeply again, rubbing against each other through the thin material of their undergarments. She had seen what he had told her and knew that every time he looked at her, knowing how he felt about her, that she was beautiful. She wasn’t just someone with cute little quirks or a status symbol. She was his Fred – she was herself – and that was enough for her, that was all that mattered, no matter how anyone else felt.

Trailing her lips from his mouth, she pressed kisses along his jawline then to his collarbone, drawing patterns with her tongue down to his nipples. It was rather fun to have this sort of power, to know that she was causing the soft sounds he was making despite his injury. She pressed a finger to his lips as she kissed the line down to his belly button, moving her body to slide off the bed. Then with a grin up at him, she grasped his boxers and pulled them down his legs, her heart skipping a beat when she saw all of him, all of him there for her. No teasing or joking here now. 

Wesley gasped as the cool air touched his heated flesh. His penis was standing up, hard against his belly. He couldn’t remember wanting anyone or anything more than he wanted her at that moment. Needing a few seconds to compose himself, he stroked her hair. The look in her eyes as she looked at him in all his glory, made the column of flesh twitch under her scrutiny.

‘For you,’ he mouthed before moving back on the bed so that his head was on the pillow. He patted the mattress, waiting for her to join him.

“For me,” she murmured back and quickly shimmied out of her own panties before crawling back onto the bed. Her hands ran up his legs to gently encircle him, rubbing up and down his shaft for a few moments. The expressions that played across his face were wonderful, making the heat inside her drop lower and almost seem to pulse. She leaned down and kissed him again as she straddled him once more. She didn’t want to torture him – either of them really – with any further explorations. They would have time for that later when they could really enjoy that sort of thing.

Wesley rolled his head back, his face contorted in pleasure as her small hand wrapped around him. Her slow strokes sent fire up his spine, radiating outward. He was almost thankful when her leg was thrown over his hips. He wasn’t sure he could handle much – he was already too close as it was. He looked up at her, the blue in his eyes almost gone, lost in his desire and hunger for Fred. Wesley felt her hand surround him again and grit his teeth as she placed his tip at her opening. 

She slowly lowered herself down, taking him in her a bit at a time, her breath catching in her throat as she did so. Once she had settled all the way down, she didn’t move at first, but simply held herself there, looking at him, her hands resting on his chest. It seemed almost too amazing to realize that they were together there like this, after so much had happened since they had met.

“Are you okay?” she whispered, determined to take this slow so she wouldn’t do anything to hurt him.

He released a whispered moan, feeling her heat envelop him completely. It took a moment for it to penetrate the fog that she had asked him something. He nodded, not entirely certain what he was answering. His hands gripped her waist, and as soon as he felt her stretch fully to accommodate him, he began moving, planting his feet on the mattress to give him a little purchase.

Fred gasped softly when he started thrusting up into her, the sensations shooting through her like electrical impulses. Everything in her was centered on the man beneath her as she moved against him, riding him up and down in slow rhythm that kept building. His fingers dug slightly into her waist, almost as he didn’t want to let her go, like he was afraid she might disappear. But she wasn’t going anywhere. She was where she wanted to be, and she knew she would do anything for him. She had shown that she would by leaving the only life she had known since Pylea behind. But they would build a new life – they would be together, and they would be parents to Connor.

Continuing to drive down onto him, she moaned, tilting her head back as her eyes closed. The feelings were almost overwhelming, the heat that burned inside her belly threatening to consume her at any moment. But she didn’t want this to end. Leaning forward again, her hair fell into her eyes, and she quickly pushed it out of the way, giving him a smile as she did.

Wesley could feel the heat coiling at the base of his spine. He knew once they started, he wouldn’t last long. This woman was too ingrained in his soul. Every stroke of flesh sent an echoing caress through his body. The sounds coming from her were driving him insane. He was determined to take her over with him. Sliding a shaky hand between her legs, his thumb found her nubbin, and he began circling it as she rode him. He could feel her inner muscles fluttering around him and knew she was close. He wanted to tell her to let go, but he knew she would chastise him if he attempted to speak, so he tried to convey the message by touch, by caressing her body and face, by keeping up his pace.

She was so near – every nerve in her was threatening to overload, and her entire body was tightening to the point of feeling like it might shatter into a million pieces if she let go. Wesley’s free hand moved up cup her cheek, his thumb dragging across her lips, and she knew what he wanted. She could tell by the way his other continued to work her and the way he ever so slightly quickened his thrusts. But her body felt as though everything was just hanging there, and she couldn’t breathe, and she couldn’t speak, and she couldn’t tell him that it was too much with his hands and him inside her and all the sensations just waiting to explode. Until finally, it did, and everything began convulsing within her as she choked out his name.

Wesley felt her clench around him so hard that it drew his own release out with such searing intensity, he thought he might black out. He moaned slightly, feeling no pain except the sweet release into the woman he loved. Instinctively, he put his hands out to catch her as she slumped against his chest. His vision still hadn’t cleared, so he used touch to continue convey his feelings. Stroking one calloused hand up and down her back, it took several minutes to get control of his breathing. He looked down at the brown head pillowed on his chest and smiled when she looked up at him.

‘Wow,’ he mouthed before lifting his head to kiss her.

“Very wow,” she said and then pressed her lips to his for several long moments. She didn’t want to move from where she was, felt like they could have stayed this way for the rest of the night. She knew, however, that it probably wouldn’t be a good idea, all things considered. Slowly, she shifted off him but didn’t move away, instead cuddling up against him, her hand stroking gently over his chest. “Definitely a good thing we aren’t in the hospital anymore. I think I would have definitely gotten myself chucked out if the nurse had caught us doing that.”

Wesley grinned reaching over for the pad. He hated not being able to talk to her, but if he could follow the doctor’s orders, he could start testing out his voice again in a few days. He was a little concerned as to how much his voice would be altered by his injury. But he knew in his heart, it wouldn’t matter a whit to Fred if it was. 

Bugger the nurse. If she would have come in, I would have chucked her out. Smiling, he let a whisper of a groan when she moved off to the side, feeling himself slide out of her. Although we probably would have blown the fuse on that heart monitor. He smirked when she cuddled into his side.

She laughed softly when she read what he had written, remembering the way they had tested that heart monitor several times before they had finally been able to bring him home – the way he had reacted when she kissed him, the way he had reacted when Giles had touched him. Looking up at Wesley, she considered him for a moment, wondering if she should ask. If they were going to be in a relationship, wouldn’t it be better to know if...?

“Wesley, can I ask you something. You don’t have to answer me if you don’t want to, but I—if we’re going to—it won’t change at all how I feel, especially not after that, but I just wanted to know, are you—do you have feelings...for Giles? Beyond friendship, I mean.”

Rupert is...complex. When I was in Sunnydale before, nobody liked me and rightfully so. I was so green, fresh out of the academy. And I was hard on all of them, so pompous and arrogant. Thought I knew everything. But I wasn’t as hard on any of them as I was on Rupert. Those same traits I adore him for now, I ridiculed him for then. Caring too much, not being able to separate the job from his personal feelings. I realize now, it’s what makes him the phenomenal man he is. I’m not exactly sure what you’re asking. I love you, Fred. If you’re asking me if I love Rupert the same way, I can’t answer that. I’ve never had a chance to get close to him like that. He is undoubtedly attractive. Both in appearance and in the way he loves so absolutely. Under other circumstances... He smiled at her. 

If I didn’t have a girlfriend, I might have chanced finding out if he and I... He looked away, trying to figure out how to word what he said next. I know the others consider me oblivious about some things. On the phone, I never knew...but I’ve seen the way he looks at me, the way he touches me. But I also know he is an honorable man. He won’t interfere where he feels he isn’t invited.

“I know,” she said once she had read through what he had written. “And I know you love me. Tonight definitely proved that even if everything you’ve done for me before this hadn’t already. And I love you too.”

She took a breath, trying to sort out her feelings in her mind. Why was she asking? Because of the feelings she was getting when she watched the two of them together? Because somewhere in her, she also found Giles attractive despite having known him for such a short time and knew that Wesley did as well, and they had known each other for so much longer? Because she was curious, and that was always and forever going to be her failing, no matter what? Because she realized that she would do anything to make him happy, and she knew part of that was a need for Giles? In a way, that had already been proven over the last few days.

“Your answer doesn’t change how I feel. It can’t. I just—I saw the way the two of you are together, saw the reactions you seem bring out in each other, and something in me wondered—if he was...something you wanted. I know you want me, and you have me and always will...but...do you want him too?” She rested her hand over his heart. “If you do, I understand.”

Fred, I... He took a deep breath. Was she offering what he thought she was? I don’t know if I could do that to you. I don’t want you to resent me or Rupert in six months or so because we got curious. You’ve had enough to deal with. I love you – even more now. And even though that generous spirit I adore so much wants to let me invite another man into our bed for me...I won’t risk us. You’re too bloody important. Rupert and I can deal with it. We’re not going to stop being friends just because we aren’t shagging.

“You won’t be risking us. I won’t resent you. I can’t resent you.” She looked down at her hand, trying to work out how to explain this to him, to make him understand without sounding like she was some kind of...voyeur or slut or something. “I—I find that I’m...attracted to Giles, too. I mean, I doubt he’s even thought of me that way all things considered, but there’s a part of me that definitely is, and I know that if I am and you are, and he’s attracted to you, and...” She blew air out through her teeth in frustration. “I can’t even explain myself right. I want you to be happy, Wesley, after everything you’ve gone through, and I can see that a part of that happiness is because of Giles, because he’s here. And if you want him...then I want him too.”

Wesley smiled, amused that even in bed, she managed to come up with an impressive piece of Fred babble. Thank God he was fluent. He was surprised when she admitted being attracted to the other man as well. It was an odd feeling. Wesley knew in his heart he hated the idea of Fred kissing another man that wasn’t him, but with his friend it was different. He knew Rupert would be patient and wouldn’t hurt her for the world. And if he had to be honest with himself, the thought of watching them together caused familiar stirrings in his groin. He looked down into her brown eyes, smiling when he saw love for him, but there were two other things there. She was curious, that he expected. But there also seemed to be a hunger that was different than the one he saw before. 

You find the idea of Rupert and I together exciting? he asked, smiling when she blushed at the words and looked away. There was no condemnation in him. At this point, it would be hypocritical. Dropping the pad, he gripped her chin lightly, steering her gaze back to his.

‘So do I,’ he mouthed with a sly smile. He looked toward the closed bedroom door, motioning toward it with his head in an unspoken suggestion. ‘Let’s go get him.’

Fred looked down at themselves and grinned at that, just imagining Giles’ reaction when they walked out there, buck naked. Sliding off the bed, she extended her hand to help Wesley up. He was moving around a bit more easily now, which she was glad to see, especially after what they had just been up to. Before they opened the door, she rose up on her tiptoes and gave him a deep kiss, just to make sure he knew how she felt. She smoothed his hair back from his face and eyes and then opened the door.

“Giles,” she called out to the man on the couch to get his attention.

Giles had just dozed off. He had heard the noises coming from the bedroom and had forced himself to ignore his body’s reaction to them. Habitually, he was a light sleeper, so when he heard the distinctive feminine voice call his name, his eyes instantly snapped open. He stood from the couch, forgetting that he had stripped down to his boxers to sleep. 

“Fred? What’s wrong? Is Wesley all right?” he asked, not prepared for the sight before him as he turned around. Standing in front of him were the very figments of his thoughts, and neither of them had a stitch of clothing on. Feeling the familiar hardening in his shorts, he would have been able to string together two thoughts right now if his life depended on it. 

Wesley smiled at Giles’ reaction, his own eyes widening when he looked down to see that Giles’ boxers had suddenly become very tight. He shared a knowing glance with Fred, nodding toward Giles as if to tell her to say something to him. Circling the stunned man, he moved his hand across his back, relishing in the moan his actions drew.

Any question about what they were doing had definitely gone out the window the moment Fred had seen Giles’ reaction to them—to Wesley. As Wesley moved to stand next to him, his hand running along his back, she walked to stand in front of him, knowing that she would have normally felt slightly bashful about all this but unable to now considering how open Wesley and Giles had been with their reactions. Reaching up, she pressed a hand to Giles’ cheek.

“Wesley and I were talking, and we’d—we decided that we’d like you to join us. In there,” she told him, tilting her head to indicate Wesley’s bedroom.

“What?” Giles gasped, his head spinning, his eyes wide. He could hear his blood pounding in his ears, and he looked to Wes for confirmation. The younger man nodded, tilting his head toward Fred in invitation. Slowly, he stood tall in front of Fred and lowered his head to press his lips to hers. He slid his tongue past her lips, taking his time investigating every crevice of her mouth. It had been too long. So wrapped up in her taste was he, he never felt Wesley’s long fingers slip under the waistband of his boxers until the warm hand closed around his hard flesh. He made an unintelligible noise, which was swallowed by Fred’s mouth.

Fred was surprised when Giles leaned down and pulled her in for a kiss, having expected him to kiss Wesley first...and not expecting him to kiss her at all. At least not to begin with. It definitely answered the question she had had earlier about whether he even saw her in that way. Closing her eyes, she wrapped her arms around his neck and opened her mouth to a bit wider. She could feel Wesley standing next to them, the hand reaching in between them, the moan from Giles vibrating against her lips. Her entire head was spinning from the idea of this and knowing that it was really happening.

Slowly, she broke the kiss, her breath catching in her chest. She felt a bit light-headed as she turned her head to look at Wesley then glanced back at Giles. Keeping one arm locked around Giles, she moved the other one to wrap around Wesley and bring him in closer to both of them, smiling as she looking from one to the other, giving Giles the same invitation Wesley had given.

Giles’ head rolled back with a loud moan as Wesley gave him several firm strokes. He made a noise of protest when the younger man stopped his actions, plucking at the waistband of his boxers. The message was simple: ‘These off.’ Giles slid the garment over his hips, stepping out of them as Fred pulled Wesley closer, placing him right in front him. Blue eyes met green, and Giles curled his hand behind Wesley’s neck, pulling him in for a brutal kiss. None of the gentleness that he had used on Fred was present. His tongue thrust into the warm mouth, marking him, claiming him. Wrapping his free arm around the younger man’s waist, he pulled him flush against his body, moving his hips so that their cocks rubbed against each other, the friction made easier by the copious amounts of pre-cum. 

He resisted the urge to smile when he felt Wesley’s knees start to buckle under the assault. Wrapping both arms around him, he held Wes up, branding him with teeth and tongue. When oxygen became a necessity, he pulled back, the green in his eyes almost forest color, darkened in arousal.

Fred swallowed hard as she watched the two men in front of her, kissing and rubbing against each other, her breathing hitching with each of their movements. The way Giles kissed Wesley caused the heat from earlier to begin coiling in her again and sent tingling sensations through what seemed to be every nerve in her body. It was unlike anything she had ever seen before. Feeling herself suddenly swaying, she reached out and grabbed the arm of the couch to try to steady herself, her entire head spinning.

Wesley shook his head hard, trying to clear the fog as he felt a strong hand steady him. When his vision cleared, he felt a little better seeing Fred in pretty much the same situation. Reaching out a hand, he took hers and turned to take Giles’ hand in his other. The three moved into the bedroom, the electricity in the air almost something tangible.

Giles stood, allowing Wes and Fred to get onto the bed first. His heart was racing in his chest. He, for the life of him, couldn’t figure out why they would want to invite him into their bed. But with the loss of his Slayer, he wasn’t going to question his good fortune. Kneeling on the foot of the bed, he ran a hand up each leg, smiling when breaths caught and bodies arched up to be closer to questing fingers.

His hand on her leg by itself was enough to make Fred want to jump from the sensations the touch sent racing through her – she had already been hypersensitive after making love with Wesley. But seeing him doing the same to Wesley as he reclined beside her made her wonder if she was even going to get through this without passing out, what with her head spinning and her body feeling like it was taking one-thousand volts and the man she loved looking like he was feeling the exact same thing.

Somehow, though, she managed to twist her upper body so she could reach over and turn Wesley’s head toward hers, allowing her to kiss him deeply. As fingertips brushed her thigh, she groaned against his lips.

Giles smiled at the couple underneath him. Both were so expressive, so responsive. That in itself was turning him on. This was where his history with Ripper would come into play. It had been many years since he had to satisfy multiple partners, but he hadn’t forgotten. He crawled up their bodies slowly, looking very much like a large panther on the prowl. Trailing his hands further up their legs, he smiled when he felt his fingers enter Fred’s hot folds. She was damp with her own excitement as well as with what he assumed was Wesley’s release. Ducking his head, he traced his tongue up the underside of the younger man’s rigid shaft, tasting Fred there. Before Wesley could say anything, he slid his lips over the flesh, completely enveloping him. 

Wesley’s head thrust back, the sound he emitted strangled. The feel of Rupert’s hot mouth wrapped around him caused his blood to surge. Forcing his eyes over to Fred when he heard her whimper, he surged up to her again. Threading his fingers through her hair, he held her to him, both of them muffling their cried in opened, hungry mouths.

Too much. Too much. Oh God, it was almost too much. Giles’ fingers up inside her while she could see him sucking on Wesley was enough to make her almost stop breathing until she couldn’t help it and let out a moan that came out more a whimper. Then Wesley’s lips were back on hers, and they were devouring each other as what Giles was doing caused them to rub against each other as well. Too much. Too soon. She wasn’t going to be able to take much more of this.

Throwing her arm across Wesley’s torso, she held onto him tight, her fingers digging into his side. Too much. Too much. Too much. Soon, the entire world spun out of control as she cried out against his lips, and then for several moments, she couldn’t remember anything.

Giles stopped, lifting his head when Fred cried out, giving Wes a chance to catch his breath. Poor thing, but if she was going to have her senses overloaded, this was the way to do it. He leaned up with a smile, stroking a hand down her cheek, waiting for her to open her eyes. 

“Hello there.” He smiled, watching Wes put a soothing hand on her skin. 

Wesley’s hungry blue eyes locked on her, happy that she was able to experience that. But now his body was crying out for his chance. Once Fred had regained control of her breathing, he reached out and clasped her hand in his but focused his attention back on Giles.

‘Do it,’ he mouthed desperately, pointing to the drawer in the bedside table. Giles extricated the tube and flipped open the cap, squirting a liberal amount on his fingers. 

“Watch,” he rasped, his fingers prodding at Wesley before sliding into the other man’s body. Curling his fingers toward the abdominal wall, he located Wes’ prostate and chuckled deeply as he stroked across it and Wes almost arched right off the bed. He scissored his fingers, adding a third, stretching him open. He looked back at Fred when he felt Wesley was ready. “Fred, this has to be all right with you. May I make love to your boyfriend?” he managed, knowing if she said no, he would abide by her wishes.

Fred watched with wide eyes as Giles prepared Wesley, having never seen anything like this before. Then when he asked her permission, she took a deep breath in amazement, touched by the fact that both of them wanted her to be okay with this. And she was okay with this because she could see the love in Wesley’s eyes and the respect and care in Giles’. Neither of them would do anything she didn’t like, and she found herself loving both of them for it.

“Yes,” she whispered, curling herself around Wesley’s torso as she reached out to touch Giles’ arm briefly. “Yes, you may.”

“He’s beautiful, isn’t he? So wanton.” Giles smiled at her before moving between Wesley’s spread legs. Even when the younger man was being a pain in his arse all those years ago, he had thought so. Blue eyes you could easily find yourself drowning in. He chuckled, seeing Wesley blush.

Slicking his cock with a generous amount of lube, he placed his tip, pausing to look deep into those blue eyes. Wesley was panting, flushed, making small noises of need that drove Giles mad. Slowly, he pushed forward with his hips, emitting a loud groan as he entered Wesley’s body. Gritting his teeth, he stayed still, allowing the channel to open for him. He wanted this to be pleasurable for both of them.

Entranced, Fred watched as Giles pushed into Wesley, feeling the throbbing deep inside her returning at the sight. She could remember hearing the sounds of other slaves mating in the shadows of sleep houses in Pylea, remembered listening to them from her corner and trying to keep from watching the dark movements, but she had never been an actual invited witness to sex between two other people before, much less two men. It was probably the most amazingly erotic sight she had ever seen, especially since one of the two men was the man she loved.

Staying firmly imbedded, Giles just rocked his hips, worried when Wes nearly cried out. “No screaming.” He smirked, receiving a breathless laugh in reply. “Distract him,” he instructed Fred, his voice thick with his own arousal.

At his words to her, Fred blinked for a few moments and then smiled, understanding. Curling tighter to Wesley so she was resting against him, she leaned down and captured his lips with hers, teasing his mouth open with her tongue. As she did, she traced her finger down Wesley’s chest and abdomen to his own shaft, encircling it with her hand and slowly pumping up and down.

Once she was in place, keeping Wesley busy, Giles began a slow rhythm, searching for one specific spot. He curled one hand under the young man’s hip, opening him up for deeper penetration, and changing the angle entirely. He noted one of Wesley’s arms wrapped around Fred while the other was clenching his forearm. He vaguely noted that he might have a bruise later. Wes was stronger than he looked. But he felt nothing except the warm body around him. He snapped his hips forward, causing the other man to gasp and break his kiss with Fred. 

“Try this,” he rasped to her. Sliding a hand up over the fine sheen of sweat on Wesley’s skin, his fingers found his nipple. He circled the nub with the pad of his forefinger before gripping it and giving it a pinch. He felt the corresponding clenching around his shaft and had to pause to regain control of himself. Leaning over, he drew Fred’s hand up to his mouth as he increased the force of his thrusts again. He nipped at her fingertips, wetting the pad of one finger in his mouth. Moving her hand up Wesley’s chest, he released her to let her play.

Fred let out a shuddering breath when he let go of her fingers, now wet with his saliva. Turning her gaze down to Wesley, she locked his with him as she began circling his nipple with her fingertip. “I love you,” she murmured and pinched it, just like Giles had done.

The throbbing in her belly was growing into an ache. She wanted to deal with it, but her free hand was trapped beneath Wes now, holding him tightly to her. So instead, she continued tweaking his nipple and rubbed against him, feeling him jerk slightly with each movement Giles made.

Giles angled his hips, knowing the second he bumped Wesley’s prostate. The younger man arched against both of them hard, his throat constricted against the effort to stop himself from crying out. Leaning over, he looked into the passion-glazed eyes.

“Let go, Wes. Show this to me. To us, it’s beautiful. You are beautiful,” he managed, feeling himself very close. Reaching down, he wrapped long fingers around the other man’s rigid shaft, pressing his thumb up the vein on the underside. 

Wesley could feel the fire consuming him. The sensations were coming in too fast from too many places – Fred’s body, her taste, the feel of Giles buried in him, the thick head of him hitting his prostate. The words barely heard through the haze were just the icing on the cake. Beautiful? Him? For the first time in life, he felt loved. They wanted him not because he could continue a legacy or impress their friends or even translate an ancient text. They wanted him because he was Wesley, nothing more. He felt the fire well up, and suddenly all went black.

Giles froze when Wesley’s cock lengthened, and he felt the other man’s release coat his fingers. As soon as the thin body went slack, he quickly felt for a pulse. Breathing a sigh of relief, he smiled at Fred. “He passed out. He’s fine.” His voice was deep and rough, like a man who was on the edge of release but had not got there yet. Slowly, he slid out of Wesley, panting, to sit on his heels. “I think if you ask him when he wakes up, he’ll say he prefers this therapy to the drugs,” he joked tightly.

With a nod, Fred ran her hand over Wesley’s face and chest and leaned over to kiss him on his slack lips. “I’ve never seen anything like that before,” she said quietly, squirming a bit as she pulled her hand out from underneath him.

He eyed her for a moment, offering a small smile. “No, I don’t suppose you have.” It wasn’t a condemnation, just an observation. “Gauging the tension in your body, I’d have to guess you rather enjoyed it,” he teased, trying to distract himself from his most prominent problem.

She moved down the bed so she was just to Giles’ side and reached out to run the back of her hand across his cheek, shaking slightly from everything she had been processing. “That was beautiful—but are you...? Do you need...?” She let her hand trail down slightly towards Giles’ still erect cock.

“I have a feeling I should get used to this condition with the two of you around.” With a wry smile, he gripped her hand gently, wrapping her fingers around him. “It’s up to you, Fred. I’m close, so we can do it this way, or...” He ducked his head. “Or I can take care of that ache for you,” he said as he started to calm. “I won’t push.”

Fred’s voice caught in her throat and all that came out for a moment was an incomprehensible squeak. She hadn’t expected this from him. Her heart started pounding loudly, and she could feel the ache throbbing again. Her eyes flicked over to Wesley briefly before returning to Giles’ face, to the green eyes staring back at her in the dim light. She needed relief after witnessing what had happened. And part of her hungered in a way to know what her Wesley had felt. Slowly, she nodded, stroking her fingers along him once before reaching up to pull him toward her instead. 

“Please,” she managed to whisper.

Giles quickly wiped himself off with a Kleenex from the bedside table and then moved forward, guiding her back down onto the bed. He loomed over her with a smile. “He’s right, you know. You really are quite lovely,” he told her before leaning down and nibbling on her lips.

Sliding a hand down her torso, his fingers found the apex of her thighs. He watched her face, learning the patches of skin that drove her wild. Lining himself up, he entered her slowly, knowing already that she was ready for him. He held her dark gaze as he started to move within her.

“There’s something about you that makes it easy to adore you,” he confessed, smiling when her long legs wrapped around him. “I want to take care of you. Both of you. This...” He glanced over at the sleeping Wes then back down at her. “This wasn’t something I ever expected but am nonetheless thankful for.” He began changing the angle of his thrusts, looking for the one spot he knew would light her nerve endings afire.

Between both Wesley and Giles, Fred was starting to think that she was currently the luckiest woman on earth. Moaning, she lifted her lower body up to meet each movement, feeling each thrust deep in her belly. His words rang in her ears. As long as both men were around, she knew they would all protect each other with everything they had.

“I never...never would have thought I’d—I’d be involved in anything like this,” she told him, wrapping her arms around up around his shoulder, her fingers caressing across the back of his neck. “There’s something about you being here. Wesley needs us both, wants us both and I—I was surprised to realize that...I wanted you too, not only because he did but because of the way you treat me like I’m human and a woman and not some prize. You treat me like Wes does.” Gasping when he changed the speed of his strokes again, she threw her head back onto the mattress. “You’re an amazing man, Gi—Rupert.”

Giles had already been skating the delicious edge of release with Wesley, so he continued to increase the speed and intensity of his thrusts. He had heard her call out from the living room earlier – two orgasms in one night, she had to be sensitive. He leaned over her, kissing her deeply as he carried them both closer to the edge.

“You deserve the world, my dear. And I’ll be here to help Wesley give it to you,” he whispered against her lips. He gritted his teeth when he felt her nails dig into his shoulders, the pain helping him focus. “Ride the flame, Fred. Feel it consume you. Feel me,” he grunted as her internal muscles started to flutter around him.

Her ears were ringing, and her heart was pounding, and she could feel everything contracting to that point like it did earlier, teetering on the edge. Then with another thrust, everything exploded as she gave out a strangled cry, the ache that had been building giving way to quakes that worked their way through every nerve in her body. She instinctively tightened her legs around Giles, holding him to her as her insides pulsed, keeping him locked deep within her.

He called out, feeling her clenched tight around him. He was so close. He seized her hips in his hands, forcing himself to thrust through the vice-like grip. The extra pressure was enough. He shouted her name as he was enveloped by his release, emptying himself inside of her. His arms suddenly gave out, and he managed to catch his weight on his elbows before he crushed her. Dropping his head down on her shoulder, he fought to catch his breath.

“Bloody hell, I’m too old for this,” he groaned.

Her arm feeling heavy, Fred raised it to thread her fingers through Giles’ hair and tilted her head to kiss his temple. “I don’t think you’re old,” she told him, wondering how he could think that. He was lot healthier and fitter than a lot of men she had met and seen over the years, especially when she had been at UCLA. “And I’m not just saying that because I’m exhausted too, and he’s still out like a light.” She reached over with her other hand and ran it through Wesley’s hair. “Somehow, I don’t think any of us will be getting up at the crack of dawn after the night we’ve had.”

Giles lifted his head and smiled warmly at her. “Bless you for fibbing,” he said, slowly pulling out of her. Poor thing was going to be feeling it in the morning. He pushed his weight back on his heels. “Stay there, Fred. I’ll be right back.”

He softly padded out of the bedroom, making a bee-line for the bathroom. Grabbing one of Wesley’s towels and taking a moment to wet a flannel, he returned to the bedroom. He smiled mischievously and gripped one of her legs, pulling. He turned her to face him and used the flannel to clean between her legs, knowing the coolness of it probably felt good. Finished, he dropped it on a pile of clothes and proceeded to dry her.

“Don’t want you to have to sleep in the wet spot,” he smirked.

She suddenly had a feeling that between the two men, she was going to become very, very spoiled. “Thank you,” she said with a smile, reaching up to pull him down for a kiss. She liked kissing him, same as she liked kissing Wesley. It felt really nice. Just like both of their bodies and their hands and just everything did.

Oh, yes, she was going to become very, very spoiled. She could tell.

“C’mon,” she said, drawing him onto the bed with her and scooting over so he’d have some room. “I’m not sleeping in a wet spot, and you’re not sleeping on the couch. Definitely not after tonight.”

Giles moved onto the bed, having to sleep on his side since Wesley was still out cold on his back. That was definitely going to be the nice thing about going back to Sunnydale. His own king-sized bed would fit the three of them easily. 

“Face Wes, luv,” he instructed in a soft voice. When she did, he spooned up behind her, encouraging her to drape her arm across the younger man’s chest. He moved his own arm over, his hand resting on Wes’ abs. “This way when he wakes up, he’s still connected to us both,” he explained, fighting a yawn. “We should get some sleep, no telling when he’ll be up again.”

Nodding, Fred felt her eyes starting to close even as he said that. After the night they had had, she was quite exhausted. But she felt more secure and safer than she had in a long time, cuddled between two amazing men. “Goodnight, Rupert...goodnight, Wesley,” she said softly even though she knew the second man was still out.

She lay there for a few minutes, listening to their breathing, feeling Wesley’s chest rise and fall under her arm, until she finally fell asleep.

Giles lay there, watching over the pair. He knew he had wanted to do that with Wes for awhile. As for Fred...she was everything Wesley had said and more. He was determined to still be cautious, though. The moment they wanted him to step back, he would. But he knew in his heart that he could love them both if he allowed himself to. He heard Fred’s breathing even out, knowing she finally drifted off to sleep. Only then did he surrender to his own exhaustion and fell into a light sleep.

 

*****


	5. Chapter 5

Fred wasn’t sure what time it was when she finally opened her eyes, only that she was cuddled against the side of one warm body with another one pressed up against her back, an arm resting over her. Opening her eyes, she raised her head. Daylight was streaming in through the crack in the curtain, throwing a thin shaft of light on the bed where she, Wesley and Giles lay. She smiled softly, the events of the previous night playing through her head. The whole experience had been simply unbelievable. She had never imagined anything like that ever happening to her, but now that it had, she certainly didn’t regret it.

Moving her hand from where it was resting on Wesley’s chest, she reached up to stroke his temple. He was definitely not as pale as he had been since he had come out of surgery at the hospital. However, he desperately needed a hair cut – he had obviously been neglecting that along with everything else in the last month. She wondered if there would be time to take him to a barber’s at some point. Not that he’d want to do something like that when they had research to do.

She found herself chuckling to herself softly. She had found two men who loved research and knowledge as much as she did. They were probably the closest things to kindred spirits she had ever found, even with the time she had spent at the university. It was a wonderful feeling to find that, and to be lying in between both of them now.

Wesley stirred when he felt something touch his hair. Confused blue eyes opened, blinking owlishly until the memories resurfaced, playing out in his brain in vivid Technicolor. He glanced down, seeing the large hand on his stomach, and then turned his head to see the woman he loved. Spooned in behind her was the bulkier form of Rupert. His smile grew – it hadn’t been a dream. Slowly, he stretched long limbs before turning on his side to face Fred.

‘Morning,’ he mouthed. 

“Good Lord, please tell me the two of you are not habitual early risers?” came Giles’ voice, thick with sleep, from behind Fred. “Let the old man have his rest,” he added, the tone now carrying an amused edge. Finally lifting his head, he rested it next to Fred’s, both of them looking at Wesley. “Hello there, Sleeping Beauty.”

Fred couldn’t help but grin as she looked out of the corner of her eyes at Giles. “I’m not even sure what time it is,” she admitted. “Just kind of woke up. And waking up between two very handsome men is definitely the best way to wake up if I do say so myself.”

She bit back a giggle at their faces and turned her attention fully back to Wesley. “How are you feeling this morning? You look a lot better. Your color’s finally come back.”

‘Feel good.’ Wes paused, his eyes lit up with happiness. ‘Sated,’ he mouthed, teasing his lovers. He shook his head, wondering how his life could have changed so drastically for the better in the midst of such a tragedy. ‘Feel...cared for,’ he confessed, his heart beginning to race at the two faces staring back at him. He felt Giles’ hand reach over Fred and grip his shoulder.

“You are cared for,” he reminded him. “And dare I say...loved. You’re a good man, Wesley. You deserve to have that love, to have someone who cares for you and not the fact that you can carry on his lineage or translate books for them,” he pointed out before moving his hand over Wes’ heart. “This...this is what makes you special.” He smiled, knowing Fred agreed.

“Very special,” she echoed. “And definitely loved.”

She rested her hand over Giles’ and looked over at him, knowing that both of them would definitely do whatever was necessary. She already loved him for his dedication to Wesley, and she found that she was loving him for the fact that he was just Rupert as well. “And one of the first things we need to take care of when we get a chance is your hair,” she told Wes with a grin.

Giles smiled down at Fred when Wesley blushed. “Yes, something closely cropped to draw attention to those beautiful eyes.”

Giles’ brow then furrowed when the other man looked down instead of at them. He was thinking about his scar again. Allowing himself to think like his friend for a moment, he shook his head. Wesley saw the scar on his throat as a representation of what he considered his failure.

“Wesley, look at me. It’s not a mark of failure. You didn’t fail – the scroll proved that you were right. That scar, while noticeable, is a badge of honor. And I know every time I see it, I will know that one of my young lovers is willing to put everything on the line for those he loves. For as brilliant as you are, you lead with your heart. It’s something I honestly wish I could do. Don’t ever be ashamed of this.” He placed his hand on Wesley’s neck, his thumb rubbing next to the bandage gently.

Fred felt tears in her eyes at Giles’ words because he was right. Wesley had been willing to give up everything he knew and loved in order to save Connor from a terrible fate. He had been willing to give up the only real home and family he had. “Wesley,” she said softly, waiting for his eyes to focus on her, “you did the right thing, and because of that, you’re worth more than any ‘handsome man’ or ‘seer’ or ‘demon hunter’ in this world. What happened to you woke all of us up, and I know that I would never be ashamed to be seen with you, wearing that, since I’d always know that you got it because you were doing what you had to do. And you’ll be able to see that through now, so it won’t be for nothing either. It’ll always mean something to all of us.”

She leaned forward and brushed her lips against his. “And when Connor’s older, you know what I plan to do? I plan to point that scar out to him and tell him that you got that for him, protecting him because he deserves to know that you would do anything for those you love.”

When Fred said what she did, Giles wanted to roll her over and kiss her till she was breathless. She had hit the nail on the head, and bringing Connor into it seemed to have gotten Wesley’s attention.

Wesley met their gazes, surprise clear in his eyes. How could they see things in him he couldn’t see in himself? He could see the depth of feeling in each of them, and knowing it was for him was a bit overwhelming. Pity he was used to, but love? The kind you felt down to your very being? He had never tasted that.

‘How?’ he mouthed, confused.

“How what, Wesley? How can we feel like this? How can we love you in spite of mistakes that were made? I have news for you, mistakes were made. But not by you. And we’re not your father. No matter what happens, you will always reside here,” he said, placing a hand over his own heart. “And here,” he added, sliding a hand up Fred’s torso to place a flat hand over her heart.

“He’s right, you know,” she told him. She reached over and took Wesley’s hand, which she pressed over Giles’ on her chest with her own. This – the three of them touching like this, together like this, felt so right in her mind and definitely in her body. “And we’ll be here to remind you of that every day.”

She looked over her shoulder at Giles, locking eyes with his and knowing the answer to her question but asking it anyway. “Won’t we?”

“Absolutely,” he replied, rubbing his thumb along the curve of her breast. “Emotionally...” He paused, ducking his head, and nipped at the juncture of Fred’s throat. He kept his eyes locked on Wesley’s and grinned when he saw the blue eyes darken. “And physically.” Sliding his hand out from under theirs, he clasped the back of Wes’ neck, gripping it. “This isn’t a flash in the pan. You’re not a one-night stand. These feelings are genuine, and they run deep. I’m fairly certain that it’s the same for Fred. I know you and I have had enough words to last us ten lifetimes. So I won’t make promises. But I can show you, by action, what you do to me. How seeing the hunger in those beautiful eyes makes me hard. Last night, feeling you around me, seeing the pleasure on your face, free of your past, I nearly came right there. I’m pretty sure Fred can say the same thing. And so today is going to be about spoiling you.”

“Definitely – on both counts.” She smiled at Wesley – she could the reaction Giles touching her brought out in him, and she loved it. Spending a day with them, just the three of them, doing something for Wesley, would be wonderful. Something he deserved. “Giles, you said that we can’t do anything further until we get those books, right? So we can do something else in the meantime. First, we’re getting your hair cut just like we said and then we’re doing whatever you want as long as it doesn’t involve shutting ourselves up in this apartment...at least not until tonight, anyway.”

Giles smirked, rolling up above Fred, bracing his weight on his arms, hovering above them both. “I don’t know, shutting ourselves up in here has its merits,” he began, ducking his head to kiss Wesley hard. Pulling back after several minutes, he smiled at Fred, both of them clearly enjoying the glazed look in Wesley’s eyes. “The things we could do,” he added, now moving on to kiss Fred. When oxygen became a necessity, he pulled back, having thoroughly enjoyed the taste of every crevice of her mouth. “But she’s right. This is the calm before the storm. We need to get out today. Enjoy ourselves.”

She grinned up at him after the toe-curling kisses he gave both Wesley and her. Shutting themselves up would be a lot of fun, she knew – and something she definitely wouldn’t hate doing either because how many girls could say that they were getting to close themselves off from the world with two very intelligent, very pretty men.

Wesley had to see, however, that they weren’t ashamed to be seen in public with him, and the sooner he knew the better. So going out when they had to chance was the best idea. And besides, she knew that both she and Giles wanted a chance to fawn over him.

“Who gets dibs on the bathroom?” she asked. “With three of us here, are we going to have to come up some sort of schedule or something?”

Giles wanted to say they could always use it together. But this whole situation was too new. A touch or a look could lead to something more. Not that that would necessarily be a bad thing, but today...they needed to get out. He pushed himself up to his knees then stood, smiling down at the pair on the bed.

“Why don’t we let Wes go first, then you, Fred? I can take my shower last.” He gripped Wesley’s hand and helped him to his feet, keeping hold of him till he was certain the younger man’s legs would support him. “Go get cleaned up. I’ll change your bandage when you get out.” He was thankful that he would have something to do with his fingers other than ravish him once they were alone. “This entire day is for you, Wesley,” he reminded him gently. “Now go.”

Giles waited for the bathroom door to close, before sitting down on the mattress in the spot Wes had just occupied. “We certainly have our work cut out for us,” he remarked, still looking at the closed door.

Fred nodded, sitting up and drawing her legs up to her chest as she followed Giles’ gaze toward the door. “He still thinks we’re going to disappear, doesn’t understand why we care so much.” She looked down at the bedspread and picked at a stray thread that had become a bit unraveled. “His father really did a number on him, didn’t he? To make him feel that worthless when it comes to being loved by anyone.” 

“I’ve seen his father turn watcher initiates in blithering, sobbing messes. I can only imagine what he did to his own son. Wesley doesn’t believe that he’s worth loving. He and Xander are a lot alike in that regard. Both coming from homes that had to be absolute hell, yet they have these huge hearts and care so deeply. I’ve never hurt an old man in my life, but I do know if Roger Wyndam-Pryce bothers to show his face around here, I’ll make certain he spends his entire trip in traction. I won’t let him hurt Wesley anymore than he already has,” he told her. “If he calls, make sure you give me the phone first. The old bastard is tricky. The only way we can truly thwart him is to close ranks around Wesley. He may use his wife to get access first. Elizabeth Wyndam-Pryce is a gentle woman. Just watch Wesley when she calls. Any change in his demeanor will be able to tell us whether Roger is there.”

Nodding her head, she blinked back a few tears and then turned her gaze back from the bathroom door to Giles. “We’re in this together – whatever it takes, however long it takes. I know we can make him see that we both love him.”

He found a warm smile crossing his handsome face at her declaration. He turned to face her, reaching a hand up to stroke her cheek. “We are indeed. And we will succeed. Just be patient with him, he’ll come around. Follow my lead for times when we need to push him a bit.” He leaned down and kissed her gently. “Thank you, for my own part. But mostly for managing to see the man Wesley truly is. He deserves your love.” 

Fred reached up and cupped her hand over Giles’ after he pulled back from her following the kiss. She considered everything that he had just told her and knew he would make good on his threat against Roger Wyndam-Pryce – why did the asshole have to have the same name as her own father? Giles was ruthless with anyone who crossed him but unbelievably gentle with those he love and protected. And she was ready to stand by him in that. “He deserves both of our love. In fact, I think he deserves as much love as he can get, but if you don’t mind, I’m only going to share him with you.”

“I don’t mind.” He cast an amused glance toward the closed door, “And somehow, I don’t think Wesley will mind either.” Reaching his free hand down, he placed it on her bare hip, his green eyes studying her brown. “Wesley was right, you know. You do have a big heart. I never once expected to find myself here,” he began, referring to the bed. “I would have protected both of you regardless. You’re a phenomenal woman, Winifred. And much stronger than you give yourself credit for.” 

Fred found herself blushing from the fact that he had just paid her an enormous compliment. The fact that they were both still quite naked and sitting on Wesley’s bed and he had was holding her was nowhere near as important as the man in the adjoining bathroom, the one that they both loved – though she had to admit that being this close to Giles was enough to make her blush too.

“I...if you had asked me last week if I would be willing to share the man I loved with someone else, much less another man? I probably would have looked at you like you were nuts, but there’s just something...there’s something about you and Wesley and me that...I like, that I think we need. I know I couldn’t handle this alone, no matter how strong you think I am. Sharing all of...this...” She waved her hand around expansively. “It just seemed right. Even if it was something I never thought I’d ever do.”

When she dropped her hand down, it brushed across one of the scars on his torso, and she remembered the stories he had told a few days before in the hospital. She wondered briefly which ones were from what. The long one in his side, the smaller ones marking his chest – which had been given to him where? “We all have scars, you know. I think that’s why we need each other.”

“Not all scars are on the outside,” Giles observed sadly. He had come to terms with a great many of his own personal demons – it was the benefit of age as well as situation. Wesley hadn’t had that chance yet. “There’s a lot you don’t understand about Wesley’s childhood. We were raised in the same hell, just different variations. I’ll help you in that regard. He needs you most there, I think. Mainly because you aren’t attached to that. But a bigger part of him will want to protect you from that. Don’t let him push you away.”

She nodded at his warning, knowing that she probably would never be able to understand that part of both of their lives. There was a difference between being a slave as an adult and being terrorized as a child. She could guess, sure, and probably sympathize with the pain on some level, but she couldn’t imagine anyone having to live with anything like that. It was hard just to even consider it. However, she had seen things that would cause most people to hide in their closets for the rest of their lives, so she wouldn’t let anyone, not even Wesley, try to protect her in that way, shutting her out and treating her like some kind of fragile porcelain doll. Even if it was because he loved her and didn’t want her to see that dark place in himself.

“I won’t let him,” she promised. “I know a thing or two about physics – I can figure out how to counteract a repelling force, especially from a stubborn man. You’re right that I will probably need help in understanding certain things, though.” Shifting forward, she wrapped her arms around him to give him a hug, resting her head on his should for a brief moment. “I think for once, I’m at a loss for what to say next.”

Giles smiled patiently, wrapping his arms around the slight form. Leaning his cheek against the dark head on his shoulder, he understood what she was trying to say. “Sometimes silence can speak the loudest. Our lives, they revolve around words. Wesley and myself were forced to sacrifice our childhood to words. Just be Fred. Let your actions speak for you. I guarantee they’ll get through to him faster than anything you could possibly say. Except for the three I have heard you use.” He nodded when she looked up at him confused. “When you told him you loved him.”

Fred was about to respond when Wesley opened the door and came out of the bathroom, and from that moment, all their attention was on him. She could feel Giles’ heart beating faster and could tell he was fighting with himself for control. It was a feeling she most definitely understood because Wesley...it had been true when she had thought that he was beautiful the night before, and it was even more so now, looking stronger and happier than he had been in days.

Giles, meanwhile, was surprised to see Wesley so uninhibited around them. Standing there, naked as the day he was born and freshly showered, there wasn’t a trace of blush in him. Giles found the sight delicious but forced himself to behave. This day was for Wes. 

Giving Giles’ arm a gentle squeeze, Fred slipped off the bed and walked over to the bathroom, standing her toes for a moment to give Wesley a kiss before she disappeared inside to take her turn.

Once she left the room, leaving the two of them alone, Wesley finally looked down. All of his insecurities came back with a vengeance. Having Fred there, the only person connected with his new life, it kept him from having to face his inner demons. But here, with Rupert, he could hear his father’s voice in his head. 

“You’re pathetic. Needy little twerp. You know you’ll just screw it up. You’ll drive them both away.” In reflex, Wesley closed his eyes, and clenched his fists, trying to tamp down the panic that was welling up in his gut. 

Giles, seeing Wesley rooted to the spot, clenched his jaw. He approached quietly, but it was unneccesary. Wesley was so tied up with battling whatever was going on in his head, he could have arrived in a tank and the younger man wouldn’t have noticed. If he had to put money on it, he’d say it was Roger Wyndam-Pryce’s voice tormenting his son. Reaching a gentle hand up, he cupped the younger man’s cheek, stroking the skin with his thumb. He smiled when surprised blue eyes opened to look at him. 

“He’s not here, Wesley. He can’t hurt you. Fred and I won’t let him, but we can only protect you to a point. Someday, you’ll have to make a stand and reclaim things for yourself,” he cautioned, making certain to keep his voice soothing. He was completely unprepared when the younger man leaned forward and kissed him. The kiss was desperate, needy. Breaking it could do more damage than good right now. So Giles gave into his passion, keeping things on a tight reign, but still trying to give Wes what he seemed to be seeking. After several minutes, Wesley pulled back for air, and he looked into blue eyes darkened by need and passion. “It’s all right, Wes. We’re not going anywhere. Whatever the voice in your mind is telling you, it’s wrong.” 

He gripped the young man’s hand and led him over to the bed. Sitting him down, he reached under the bed for the sizable first aid kit and sat by Wes’ side so that he could replace his bandage. Taking out the appropriate ointment and gauze, as well as two rolls of tape, he set about covering the wound. Giles gasped softly as he started to tape down the fresh bandage when he felt long slender fingers wrapping around his penis. Closing his eyes, a groan emitted from deep in his chest as he felt the long firm strokes on his rapidly filling fresh.

“Wes, we shouldn’t start something we can’t finish right now,” he managed to rasp, his hips moving of their own volition into the younger man’s hand.

 

*****

After leaving Wes and Giles in the other room, Fred quickly got into the shower, washing her hair and soaping down her body. She found she was a bit sore from the night before with the two men, but it wasn’t too bad, and in all actuality, she found that she was very, very happy. She had been telling the truth when she had told Giles that she had never imagined she would ever be doing anything like this, but she knew that he didn’t want to take Wesley away from her and that Wesley didn’t want to leave her for the other man either. He wanted them both, and he would have them both.

All this meant that the possibilities for the future were enormous – retrieving Connor, returning with Giles to Sunnydale, living as a family. For the first time in a long time, she was actually letting herself think about a long-term future, something she had never let herself do in Pylea and hadn’t been able to do while living at the Hyperion.

Turning off the water, she stepped out and wrapped a towel around her hair briefly while she dried off. She hadn’t brought anything in with her, so she would have to do what Wes did – walk back out stark naked. She would get something to wear from her bag while Giles was showering. After hanging the towels back up, she opened the door and walked back out in the bedroom, stopping short at the sight before her, a smile crossing her face.

“I thought the idea was to actually get out of this bedroom sometime today, but if plans have changed, can anyone join in?”

Giles vaguely heard someone say something to him, but the motion of Wesley’s hand on his body was making it hard to thing. He didn’t notice the other man’s smirk when he leaned his weight back on his elbows, exposing himself further to Wesley’s attention. He could feel the fine sheen of sweat breaking out on his skin but wasn’t aware of anything but the blood roaring in his ears.

Wes had heard Fred’s question, however, and turned to look at her, his eyes lit with a mischievous smile. He waved her over, continuing his ministrations on Giles’ body. Leaning over on his side, he found the other man’s mouth, tasting the hunger on his tongue. It was heady. 

Fred felt her smile growing wider as she walked over to the bed and joined them. Giles seemed to be well and truly caught up in what Wesley was doing, and when he leaned over to kiss him, she swallowed at the sight. Sliding behind Wes, she wrapped her arms around him, caressing her fingers over his body.

“You two are beautiful, you know that?” she whispered in his ear.

Wesley broke the kiss, looking over his shoulder when he felt Fred’s hands on his skin. He looked down at Giles’ leaking penis, using his thumb to smear a generous amount of precum on it. He held it out to Fred, for her to taste. His own whispered moan bubbled to the surface when her lips wrapped around his digit, her tongue swiping over the pad. He nodded his head toward Giles. If the day was to be for him, he wanted this moment to be for Rupert. 

Fred closed her eyes briefly at the taste of Giles on Wesley’s finger, and then she opened her eyes again, seeing him motioning toward the older man. She understood what he was saying without any words and slowly slid from behind him off the bed again. She moved herself in between Giles’ legs, running her hands up along his thighs to his balls, which she began to caress as she leaned in to run her tongue up the underside of his shaft.

Wesley smiled to himself, seeing the glazed look in those loving green eyes. The man was lost in the pleasure. He understood what Giles had been trying to do. But with Fred’s help, they could do this for him. When she moved between Rupert’s legs, Wes slid his hand up the other man’s torso, and cupped the back of his head, swallowing the groan that he knew his other lover had caused. He could feel the trembling in the other man’s bulkier form. Even lost in his passion, Rupert still did what he could for them. The strain of keeping himself still could be felt in every taut muscle.

Giles’ thighs quivered around her as she lapped her tongue over the end of his cock and continued to cup his balls gently in her hand. Moving herself up closer, she took him in her mouth, sliding her lips down as far as she could comfortably go. This wasn’t something she had really ever done, so she was a bit worried about doing something wrong. Giles, however, seemed to be enjoying it, if the sounds he was making – muffled by Wesley’s mouth – were anything to go by. After a few minutes of sucking at him, she found her jaw hurting a bit and went back to licking him again.

Wesley was a bit surprised when the other man broke the kiss, his head thrown back in pleasure. Reaching down, he pinched the hard nipple between his thumb and forefinger, smiling down at Fred when Giles cried out.

“Close,” Giles ground out, releasing a loud cry when Wesley seemed to redouble his efforts. “Fred!” He called her name as a warning as he felt his cock lengthen and surge.

Fred had been alternating between sucking and licking when she heard Giles call her name and pulled back just in time. Wesley wrapped his arms around his shoulders to hold him as his cum came shooting out, splashing across his stomach and chest. Crawling up onto the bed on the other side of him across from Wesley, she ran her finger up Giles’ abdomen through the cum and then held it out to Wesley as he had done with her earlier. He opened his mouth, sliding his lips around her finger, sucking Rupert’s cum off her skin. His blue eyes lit with laughter when he heard the older man groan loudly.

“Bloody hell, the two of you are going to be the death of me,” he gasped, his breathing finally reaching a manageable level. Wesley shook his head, finally sliding his arm from around Giles’ shoulders. Rupert and Fred kept telling him how beautiful he was, but his old friend had no clue that like this, skin flushed, shining with sweat, cum splashed across his belly, Rupert was the definition of beautiful.

“After what you did to us last night, I think it was your turn,” Fred said. “Besides, if you die, you miss all the fun, and that’s not good.” Looking over at Wesley, she couldn’t help but grin, seeing the look in his eyes, the way he was enjoying this. “Plus, as I told Wesley, both of you are beautiful.”

Giles looked up at both of them, giving an undignified snort when she referred to him as beautiful. Wesley with his eyes and lean body was beautiful. He knew he was the vision of a patchwork quilt. Green eyes met blue with Giles giving him a mock glare. “Now that you have had your fun, may I please take my shower?” he asked, before turning to face Fred. “Thank you.”

He was talking to both of them but still looking at Fred. Kissing her gently, he turned and kissed Wes before standing. It took him a few moments before he trusted his shaky legs to support his weight. 

“Try not to wear him out, I have plans for you both, later,” he teased the woman they both adored. Humming to himself happily, he made his way into the bathroom

“Would I do that?” she shot back.

Wes watched him go, before turning to face Fred. He was a bit surprised she had taken to including Rupert so easily in what they had. But he supposed with her declaration of her own feelings for the older man, he shouldn’t be. He smiled warmly, ducking his head down towards her. ‘Thank you,’ he mouthed, before pressing his lips to hers.

Wrapping her arms around him, she held him tightly as they kissed until finally, they had to break apart, and she rested her forehead against his. “You don’t have to thank me. Been a hell of a few days, hasn’t it? I told Giles that if anyone had told me I’d be doing this, I would have thought them crazy. But you know...this...now...it’s just...right.”

Wesley nodded, understanding what she was trying to say. It did feel right, Rupert with them. He wanted to tell her even one of the million thoughts running around in his head and found it frustrating that he couldn’t. Hell, he wanted to be able to say ‘I love you’ in his own voice. Reluctantly, he reached for the pad on the nightstand.

Never, in a million years, did I ever think to be here with either of you. Especially after I hurt you. And Rupert, I treated him like a senile old fool when I was in Sunnydale before. I was an idiot on both counts. Yet both of you are here. I don’t understand it, but I’ll always be thankful for it, he wrote on the pad.

“You didn’t hurt me,” she whispered to him once she read what he had written to her. “And I made just as many mistakes – more possibly. But yes, we’re here, and we’re don’t going anywhere, so don’t ever think that we are. Everyone is entitled to make mistakes, and everyone is entitled to have those mistakes forgiven and forgotten. That’s what the others didn’t get. We love you, Wesley. I love you.”

She gave him another kiss, knowing that they needed to get dressed soon even though she was quite enjoying this. “Should we...should we get ready?”

Wesley took a deep breath, staring down at the pad. He wrote something really quick, then passed her the pad, before standing and moving to his closet to pick out some clothes. 

I love you, so much, Fred. It’s killing me right now, not being able to say it. I want you to hear it, to know it. I don’t know what my voice is going to be like once my throat heals, but I will find some way to be able to say it.

Fred found herself sitting on the bed, staring at the note with tears forming in her eyes. It was amazing how such a simple thing like a voice was so often taken for granted. The ability to say words that held so much meaning without having to think about that part of things...

Getting up, she walking over behind Wesley and wrapped her arms around him from the back, pressing her cheek to his back. “I don’t care what your voice sounds like. That you’ll be healed and knowing that you love me – no matter how you’re able to say it or what it sounds like – will always be enough.”

‘It matters to me,’ he mouthed when he turned to face her. Wrapping his arms around her slight form, he wasn’t sure how to handle the fullness this amazing woman brought to his heart. After several moments, he pulled back, reaching into the closet for his denim shirt and a pair of blue jeans. He held up the two, wanting Fred’s approval. Today was about fun, about comfort, and apparently – according to Rupert – about him. He still wasn’t sure about the haircut, but if it would make them both happy, he would subject to it willingly.

She nodded at his choice – she wasn’t sure what exactly they were going to do after the haircut, but the shirt and jeans seemed a safe choice. And she was sure he’d look great in it, even though she hadn’t often seen him in jeans. In fact, the trip home from the hospital was probably the first time she had.

“Looks good,” she told him. “I’m going to go look for my bag, which I believe is still out in the other room. So you get dressed while I go find what I’m going to wear.” She gave him another kiss. “And I’m sure your voice will be fine. Even if you have a bit of a roughness to it, that’ll just make it even sexier than it was.”

Winking at him, she hurried out into the living room and found her bag, rooting around until she pulled out a green cotton top with spaghetti straps, a matching skirt and set of panties, which she brought back into the room for Wesley to approve in turn.

Wesley slid the jeans on quickly, not bothering with boxers. It was another thing his father always got on him about. He gave a mental shrug, figuring this was the first step in telling his father to stuff it. He put on a white tank top underneath the denim shirt, tucking both in just as Fred returned to the room. He looked at what she was carrying, giving a nod as his mind wandered, filled with the possibilities of that outfit. Milky skin, not only exposed to his eyes, but also more accessible to touch. He held his hands out at his side, presenting the finished picture to his love.

Fred found herself staring – even with the somewhat scruffy hair that would be taken care of soon enough, he looked unbelievably yummy in the jeans and shirt. Especially in the jeans. “You should wear jeans like those more often,” she told him. “They show off your—” Ass “—they look really good on you.”

Wesley found himself blushing. Despite having been thoroughly made love to by both his lovers last night. the idea that Fred was checking out his arse embarrassed him. He smiled shyly, lifting his eyes a bit to watch her as she got dressed. She pulled on her panties and skirt and then pulled the top on over her head. He didn’t know why, but a part of him was thankful when she decided to forego the bra. 

She thought about pulling her hair back, but then decided to leave it down. “Just need the last member of this group, and we’ll be ready to go,” she said, crossing over and slipping her arm around Wesley.

“I suppose that would be me,” Giles remarked, standing in the doorway. His manner seemed quite natural, despite the fact that he was stark naked. “And she’s right, those jeans show off your ‘assets’ admirably.” He smirked, tossing his own jeans and an emerald green shirt on the bed to get dressed. “Absolutely delicious, both of you.”

As he slid on his own jeans, Fred looked over at Wesley with a grin, thinking about what they had done with Giles earlier. “I’d say the same goes for you, Rupert.” The shirt he was buttoning up looked wonderful on him, setting off his green eyes the way the shirt Wesley was wearing set off his. “I think I’m going to be going out with the two best-looking guys in at least the whole of California.”

Once Giles was finished getting ready, they looked at each other.

“Off to the barber’s first?” she asked.

“Definitely,” Giles said, looking at Wes. “Might even get a trim myself, just so our boy doesn’t feel so ganged up on.” He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling a little bit of length that could come off. “And I’ll check my messages in the car, to make sure Anya hasn’t burned down the Magic Box,” he joked, tucking his wallet in his back pocket. He grabbed his cell phone out of his jacket, giving a sheepish look when Wesley snorted. His reputation as a technophobe was notorius. “Yes, I have a cell phone...prat. It’s only for emergencies.”

Fred raised an eyebrow after grabbing her purse from the dinner table as they headed out of the flat. “You have something against cells?” she asked while Wesley locked the main door. Once that was done, they walked down the elevator. She could see that Giles wasn’t exactly comfortable in the way he was holding it. “I remember being so surprised at how small they had gotten in the time I was away. I took the first one they gave me apart – wanted to find out how they had managed to do it. An—a few...people weren’t too pleased by that.”

“I have something against most technology. Which is ironic. Jenny, the woman I told you about, she was the computer teacher at Sunnydale High. She used to tease me about my distaste for anything after the twelfth century. I gave in and got this beastly thing after Buffy and Dawn’s mother passed away last year. I wanted them to be able to get a hold of me any time they needed me,” he explained as they exited the building, heading toward his car. “I’m still not fond of them, but I do admit, they serve a purpose.”

She nodded. “Guess that means I’ll be the techy one of sorts. I always end up doing the computer searches most of the time, even though it’s Wesley’s laptop.” When they reached Giles’ car, she nodded toward the back seat. “I’ll take the back again. You can sit up front, Wes. ‘Least I don’t have to share it with the wheelchair this time.”

Wes wanted to get the haircut part of this day over with. He knew Rupert well enough to know the other man would give him no peace today unless he acquiesced. And in this, he had a co-conspirator. A beautiful, brown-eyed co-conspirator. He didn’t stand a chance, and he knew it. He slid into the passenger seat, lost in thought about his lover – correction, lovers. Maybe he should stop thinking so much. They had both made it clear that they were there by choice, even though he was at a loss why these two amazing people would give him the time of day. 

“Stop it,” Giles chided, gently as he drove. He smirked when Wes plastered a blank look on his handsome face, acting like he didn’t know what he was talking about. “I know you, Wesley. So stop brooding and just accept the fact that Fred and I want to be here.” He caught Fred’s amused gaze in the rearview mirror. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted a barber shop and immediately made the turn into the parking lot. “And get ready to get that mop cleaned up.”

Fred covered her mouth with her hand, trying not to laugh out loud at Wesley’s face in the mirror. He was so adorable at moments like this. She knew that after what had happened, it was difficult to get used to two people being there and refusing to leave. He would get used to it, though – she and Rupert would make sure of it.

They made their way into the shop, which wasn’t busy at all. The barber who served Wesley seemed a bit surprised at the bandage on his neck but said nothing about it and instead set to work shortening his dark hair. Giles, meanwhile, sat down in the next chair, and the other barber set to work on his hair. Fred watched them both with a grin as she leaned against the wall. Soon, Wesley was sitting there with a short, slightly spiky haircut. She loved it and could see Giles did too when they exchanged approving looks. Then the barber made noises about Wesley’s stubbly face, but she shook her head – razors and having them near his neck were probably not a good idea at the moment. Besides, they could take care of that easily enough when Wesley was ready. It would probably be better if one of the two of them, someone he trusted, did it for him anyway.

Giles also had to force down the protective instinct when the barber mentioned shaving Wesley’s face. Truth be told, the slightly scruffy look on the younger man suited him. It made his handsome face more manly and less boyish. He smiled, looking Wes up and down, sharing a look with Fred. They both approved. The sparkle in his green eyes showed the new look caused more reactions in him than just approval.

Giles’ trim was soon finished, and Fred made a point of looking both of them over as they stood up from the chairs. “Both of you look great. I love this look on you, Wesley,” she said, reaching over to run her fingertips across the short hairs on the back of his neck. Between the clothes and the hair, the whole look really suited him.

Wesley ducked his head, blushing at their clear praise. Seeing the hunger in Giles’ eyes made the corner of his lips curl slightly in a smile. Reaching up a hand, he rubbed the back of his neck, sheepishly. He still wasn’t certain about the look, but Fred and Rupert seemed certain. He met Fred’s gaze when Rupert stood to pay for the cuts. He arched an eyebrow, allowing the unspoken ‘Do you really like it?’ to come through.

She nodded vigorously to the question in his eyes and expression, taking his hand and pressing up against him while they waited for Giles for finish the transaction. “You look incredible,” she told him in a low voice. “Absolutely amazing.”

Even with the glasses, he looked more roguish than she could ever remember, and it was definitely something that turned her on. Giles’ idea for the haircut had certainly been right. Trying to play it nonchalant, she caressed her hand over his jeans-clad ass, but she couldn’t help it and a smile played across her face.

Giles chuckled deeply at the scene before him. For someone new to this lifestyle, Fred was certainly finding her pace quickly. “Come on, let’s get him out of here before you try and unwrap him,” he teased her, maneuvering the three of them out the door as she turned quite a bright shade of pink. Once they were outside, Giles suddenly stopped, placing a hand on Wesley’s arm. He removed the man’s glasses and uttered a soft groan. “Good god, we have got to get you contacts.” Wesley’s eyes were entirely too expressive, and he knew he wanted to see them – wanted to see the hunger, the pleasure, radiating from the blue depths.

Fred looked over his shoulder, seeing Wesley’s eyes and remembering what they had looked like when she had been above him, making love to him. “He’s right. Having contacts would suit you. You wouldn’t be hiding your eyes anymore.” About melting at the look that Wesley shot her way when she said that, she wondered if he had used the glasses for just that – to hide. He usually kept his feelings under the surface, but his eyes gave him away like nothing else.

Giles smiled knowingly. He was willing to bet that that thought hadn’t occurred to Fred until now. She hadn’t had to learn the art of not drawing attention to yourself until her stay on Pylea, but for someone like Wesley with his eyes, so blue, so inquisitive, so expressive, the need to cover them was more than just based on sight. In his world, with Roger Wyndam-Pryce, it was a method of survival. 

“Come on, you two. Let’s go see a movie. My treat.” He draped his arms around both their shoulders and led them over to the car. “We’ll drive around for a bit, see what’s playing.”

“Sounds good to me,” Fred said, looking over at Wesley, who smiled and nodded in agreement. A movie would be perfect – she knew that he was probably still a bit uncomfortable being out with the bandage on his neck. Many people couldn’t help but stare.

They piled into the car and headed around, checking out some of the local theaters marquees. As they passed one, Wesley reached over and tapped Giles on the shoulder and pointed while Fred leaned over to see which movies were being played. Then she grinned.

“Die Another Day?” she asked, not sure that any of the other movies seemed the type either Giles or Wesley would be interested in. Besides, it was Pierce Brosnan, and she had always liked him.

Giles rolled his eyes, thinking about Pierce-bloody-Brosnan in a James Bond movie. He believed that Sean Connery would be the only Bond. And he knew that Wesley agreed with him. But sparing a glance at the other man, he followed Wesley’s gaze, clearly noting Fred’s excitement in the rearview mirror. Wesley was right; they would submit because it was what she preferred. The younger man had given in on the haircut for precisely that reason, so he could give in on the movie. Besides, it wasn’t as if they were actually going to see much of it, he had a feeling.

“All right, Bond it is,” Giles conceded with a grin as he pulled into the theatre parking lot. 

Since it was the middle of a weekday, the theater wasn’t very busy. Giles paid for the tickets, and they headed for the concession counter first to get a large box of ice cream bonbons to share between the three of them since Wesley couldn’t have popcorn and Fred and Giles didn’t want to make him feel bad by having any. When they went into the theater the movie was playing in, there was only a few other people in there. They looked at each other and then went to the last row, sitting down with Wesley in between her and Giles. With a grin, she opened the bonbon box and handed it to Wesley.

“You’re in the middle, so it’s only fair,” she said, reaching over to take one.

Wesley was touched by their concern. He didn’t want Fred to think she had to deny herself, just because of him. But one look into her dark brown eyes told him that the only thing she was interested in was the company, not the food. He took the box from her with a slight smirk, before taking a bonbon for himself. Angling the box toward Rupert, he jumped slightly when the lights dimmed quickly and the previews started.

Fred slumped down a bit when the lights went out in the theater and leaned her head against Wesley’s shoulder, careful that she didn’t get near his bandage. Popping the bonbon in her mouth, she reached a hand out to rest on his thigh. The movie previews were typical – the upcoming Lord of the Rings movie, the next romantic comedy of the year (which, while Fred liked those kinds of movies, looked to be rather silly all things considered) and some action-adventure movie from Jerry Bruckheimer. Glancing over at Wesley, she gave him a smile and caressed his thigh a bit, realizing that they could get into a quite a bit a trouble if they weren’t careful.

Wesley smiled down at the dark head on his shoulder. Pressing his lips to her hair, he settled into his seat. When her hand landed on his thigh, he found himself opening his legs wider, almost as if it were a reflex. He wondered if this was the reason why they had subconsciously chosen to sit in the back. With a shaky hand, he tilted the box toward Rupert and looked at him curiously when the older man shook his head. Instead, Giles leaned over and threaded his fingers in his now short hair. What Rupert said to him, caused his breath to catch in his chest. 

“I’d much rather taste it this way,” he whispered, before kissing him. 

Fred had to suppress a chuckle when she saw Giles kiss Wesley. Oh, yeah, they were definitely destined to get into trouble. Her hand inched its way up his thigh, tracing patterns on the inner seam of his jeans until she reached her destination. She cupped him through the denim, and did chuckle under her breath this time when she felt him squirm a bit. The movie had started up on the screen, but she realized she already didn’t even know what was going on because she was having too much fun focusing on what was going on right there in the back row.

Wesley whimpered into Giles’ mouth under the double assault. His shaft was rapidly filling, feeling Fred’s fingers almost demanding his reaction. His legs fell open, inviting her further, not even worried about the fact that they were in public. Rupert wasn’t giving him time to think, his tongue invading the younger man’s mouth, caressing every corner, memorizing his taste. 

Giles knew this was the best chance they had to push. They had to get through to him, make him see that pity had nothing to do with why they were there with him. Wesley had no clue how desirable he truly was, breathless, so wanton, skin flushed, blue eyes begging for more. But what made him most desirable was his big heart. 

Fred glanced up and saw Giles look over at her briefly before turning his attention back to his kiss with Wesley. She leaned over and kissed him behind the ear before taking the bonbon box from him and setting it on the chair beside her. Then she raised the arm of the seat between them and moved a little closer to unzip Wesley’s jeans. A breath caught in her chest as she did, her eyes darting around the theater to make sure that no one had heard or looked back and seen. Once she was sure, she reached into Wesley’s jeans – her smile widening at the fact that he wasn’t wearing boxers – and wrapped her hand around his shaft, rubbing him.

Wesley’s hand gripped Giles’ forearm as Fred’s warm palm closed around his cock. He bit down on his lip, trying not to make a sound, as the hand kept moving up and down his shaft. He didn’t even notice the calloused hand, cupping his cheek. 

“Look at me, Wesley,” Giles whispered, needing his attention. He could see the younger man fighting to keep aware despite the pleasure running rampant through his body. When bleary, blue eyes focused on him, he smiled. “We want to be here, with you, for you. And no matter what happens, you’ll never be alone again,” he promised, before claiming his mouth once again.

“He’s right,” Fred whispered softly in his ear. Her heart was beating loudly in her chest, part of her amazed that she was actually doing this in a theater of all places – there was every chance that someone would turn around and know what they were doing or that the staff would be alerted and through them out or have them arrested. But she didn’t care. She knew as well as Giles did that Wesley needed this. Needed to know that they were willing to do anything for him, no matter what it was. “We love you, Wesley. Always.”

Taking a deep breath, she slowly withdrew Wesley from his jeans and leaned down, taking him into her mouth like she had earlier with Rupert. She knew her jaw would begin to ache soon, but that was okay. She just wanted Wesley to enjoy this.

Giles laughed softly when Wesley whimpered. He was a little surprised at Fred’s new found brazenness but also overjoyed. With the lives they lived, honestly, worrying about an arrest or getting thrown out of the theatre seemed trivial. Reaching one hand down, he stroked her brown hair while she worked. 

“Shhh, quiet, Wes, or we’re going to get caught,” he whispered, cupping the back of Wesley’s neck, turning his head slightly to look at him. He could feel himself getting harder but tamped down on the feeling. This was for Wesley. He would fulfill his own desire later. 

Fred shuddered a little when one of them – she wasn’t completely sure who because she was still learning their individual touches though she thought it might be Rupert – put his hand on her head. She was getting very turned all by all this, the familiar ache starting deep inside her. She would have loved to have sat on Wesley’s lap, to have taken him inside her, but she knew that would be pushing things. They could do that later.

Pausing for a moment, she rubbed her jawline where it was starting to throb a bit from working on him and then swirled her tongue around his tip. She could feel him tensing beneath her but didn’t pull away.

“Good boy,” Giles whispered, feeling the tension in Wesley’s back. It was clear that he wanted to thrust but was forcing himself not to. “She wants to show you, but she’s new. Be careful with her.” 

He breathed in the younger man’s ear before drawing the lobe in between his teeth. He arched an eyebrow in amusement, watching the way that Fred was shifting in her seat. Ripper was chomping at the bit to play. Silently, while she worked, he slid one of the spaghetti straps to the side and moved long graceful fingers under the material. He grinned when he encountered no other barrier, and long digits rolled the nipple between his fingers.

Fred almost gasped when Rupert’s fingers cupped her breast, sending a jolt through her body. She paused in what she was doing for a moment, not wanting to bite down and hurt Wesley, and let out a soft – almost imperceptible – moan. Her eyes falling closed, she continued again, drawing her tongue up the underside of Wesley’s shaft as she moved him in and out of her mouth. She didn’t even care where they were anymore. All that mattered was the three of them.

Giles grinned feeling her reaction. Her nipple immediately hardened under his ministrations. He leaned forward, nipping at the skin of Wesley’s throat. “Look at her, Wes. Focus. Hot, wet mouth wrapped around you, tasting, almost demanding. This is turning her on too. Smell it, Wesley, that hint of musk. She’s wet, probably scorching, with that knot of need in her belly...just waiting to be filled by one of our cocks.” He nearly laughed when the grip on his forearm tightened, and Wesley whimpered. He pried the fingers from his arm and placed them on Fred’s bare thigh. “Feel it, Wes. Feel her. She’s dripping for you,” he whispered.

Almost against his will, Wesley’s hand slid up Fred’s thigh, his fingers brushing the crotch of thin, damp, panties.

Fred moaned again when she felt him trace over her while Rupert’s hand continued to knead her breast. She could Giles murmuring, every word true. Oh, God, she wanted them – wanted them both. Being in this public place, having to be quiet, was driving her crazy. She paused for a moment to take a breath and reached over to rest her hand over Rupert’s cock, which she could feel was getting hard inside his jeans. She looked up at both of them, their faces illuminated just by the light of the cinema screen, then tilted her head back down and exhaled air over Wesley’s tip before sliding him into her mouth again.

Long, nimble fingers slid under the elastic and into her wet heat. Rupert was right, God, she was so wet. He wished he could just draw her into his lap and slide into her. He was biting his bottom lip, trying to stay silent under the assault of this pleasure. He could feel her internal muscles gripping his fingers, and he plunged them in and out of her. His breathing was ragged; he could feel the tight coiling in his lower back. He gasped loudly when he felt Giles’ fingers slide into his jeans and curl around his scrotum. The other man leaned over and whispered something to Fred. But the thundering in his ears prevented him from hearing what was said.

“He’s close, luv. Use your tongue under the crown. The ridge is sensitive. And increase the suction,” he told her.

The rush of sensations was dizzying. Wesley’s fingers pushing inside her caused her to tremble and rock against him while her jaw throbbed from the strain she was putting on those muscles, and then Rupert’s breath on her ear sent another jolt through her. She managed to control herself, though, and did as he instructed, running her tongue along underneath the head of Wesley’s shaft.

“Wesley,” she murmured and sucked a bit harder though she was still careful as she wasn’t completely sure how much might be too much.

“It’s all right, Fred, he likes a firm touch,” Giles explained to her. He smiled up at Wes. His gorgeous blue eyes had glazed over – the man was truly lost in pleasure. He turned his attention back to his other lover. “Open your throat, slide him a little further back. Swallow around him.” Giles could tell how close the younger man was. “He’s close. If you don’t feel you can do this yet, pull back. Either way, we share,” he smiled.

It was something they had agreed on from nearly the first moment they met. Sharing Wesley. First it was his care, now it was his body and emotional upkeep. They were in it together. To convince this remarkable man that he was loved.

Fred wanted to see this through. She wanted to make Wesley see how much he was loved, how much both of them were willing to do for him. And that meant anything, even if it was a bit painful. Opening her mouth a bit wider, she took him in a deep as she could, pressing her tongue against him and swallowing. She could feel him jerking a bit underneath her and continued sucking until he gave them what they wanted.

Giles clamped his lips over Wesley’s just as he felt the surge pass through his scrotum. He hoped the shock wasn’t too much for Fred; she seemed determined to do this. He pressed a hand into Wesley’s hip, holding him in the chair so he wouldn’t drive himself deeper. He could feel Wesley’s instinct to break the kiss, throw his head back and cry out. So he gripped the other man’s neck, holding him tight, and pressed his tongue past the warm lips. When Wes sagged back into his chair bonelessly, Giles finally released him and turned his attention to the beautiful brunette on the other side of him.

Fred didn’t pull back when she felt Wesley pulse, the salty taste of him flooding her mouth as his fingers stilled within her. She swallowed a bit, feeling a slight burning sensation in the back of her throat, but remembered what Rupert had said – that they would sharing this – and held the rest in her mouth. Sliding her lips from around Wesley, she sat up and saw that he had resting back against the back of the chair. Rupert, however, was looking at her expectantly and with a smile, she leaned forward, reaching out to pull him toward her so they met directly in front of Wesley. When their lips came together, she opened her mouth slightly, allowing Rupert’s tongue to taste Wesley still on hers.

“You did very well, but don’t think we’ve forgotten about you,” he said when they parted again, moving his hand along her thigh to join Wesley’s. He stroked the hand under his, encouraging Wes to move. Once it did, his own fingers sought out her nubbin, rolling it between his thumb and forefinger. He could feel her wetness sliding out on to both of their hands, and smiled. “Your turn. Let go, Fred,” he demanded, chuckling when he realized the force of Wesley’s hand had increased. 

Gasping, Fred fell back and buried her face against Wesley’s shoulder, the feel of the two hands – one in her, one caressing her – almost more than she could take. Electricity was shooting up her spine and through her limbs, making her feel like she was both being turned into jello and starched rigid at the same time. She wanted to scream out, and the strain of forcing herself to stay quiet just added to the trembles that were about to take her over completely.

“Wes...Rupert...oh, God,” she gasped, her voice muffled by Wesley’s shirt.

Giles concentrated on the juncture between her thighs. He kept moving his hand, keeping the rhythm, not giving Fred a moment to recover. He smiled, feeling her hips shift against his hand hard. “Let go of this, Fred. I want to feel your juices coating my fingers.” He leaned in closer, his smile slightly more mischievous. “We’re going to drink from your body tonight, luv. With tongues, and teeth, until we hear you scream our names until your throat is raw,” he promised her softly.

That did it. His words combined with the movement of their fingers relentlessly pushed her over the edge, and as she let out a soft sob, her body began to shake. Wesley’s fingers continued to push within her as she continued to thrust against both their hands, her spasms grabbing hold on them. Her entire mind spun with the overload of sensations, and she grabbed onto both Wesley and Rupert to try to steady herself.

Giles leaned over Wes slightly and gripped Fred’s shoulder gently until he felt her body go slack. Holding her eyes, he slowly withdrew his fingers from her panties and held them out to Wesley. His body was already tight with arousal, and the feeling of Wesley’s tongue curling around his fingers, tasting Fred’s musk, only made him harder. He smiled when he saw Wes’ wet fingers in front of his face. Closing his lips around the digits, he cleaned off all evidence of her release off of his hand. He had just released Wesley’s fingers from his lips when he caught Fred’s gaze. The heat burning in those dark eyes could burn him alive.

Fred watched them lick each other’s fingers in the flickering light of the movie screen, unable to breath. She had never realized how arousing such a sight could be, how amazing it was to share and be shared by two other people, especially two other men. It made her feel giddy, and God, how badly she wanted them – to just be with them, somewhere alone, doing what Rupert had promised, having both of them in her, watching them with each other again like the previous night.

Shifting herself up, she leaned over and kissed Wesley, tasting herself and wondering if he could taste himself too. She reached out to pull Giles closer so as soon as their lips parted, she was able to turn her head and kiss him too.

Giles was practically vibrating. His body was like a bow string pulled taut. He could still taste Wesley in her mouth, wondering if she could taste herself in his. Slowly, he pulled back, watching Wesley tuck himself back into his jeans with a hint of a smile. He pressed his hand over the prominent bulge in his own jeans, shifting it around so that he could sit comfortably (well as comfortably as one could with a raging erection). Looking up at the screen, he gave his young lovers a moment to themselves. He took several deep breaths, trying to calm himself enough to at least make it to the loo.

Fred pushed her strap back up her shoulder and smoothed her skirt down over her knees, glancing at both Wesley and Giles as she did so. She couldn’t believe they hadn’t been caught. She couldn’t believe they had just done that.

Of course, it had been wonderful.

She had no idea what was currently going on in the movie. There was Pierce Brosnan, but whatever James Bond was chasing after, she didn’t know, and really didn’t care. All she cared about were the two men sitting next to her. Wesley seemed stunned by what had just happened, by the fact that she and Rupert had done that in such a public place. And Giles himself... She could see he was shifting about a bit uncomfortably.

Leaning over, she whispered, “Should we go?”

Wesley looked over at Rupert and could see that he was in a considerable amount of pain. He nodded at Fred’s suggestion to leave. None of them seemed particularly interested in the movie anyways. Taking Rupert’s hand, he stood, taking a second to test his weight. He felt the delicious ache in his body from being able to experience that release. Wesley shook his head with a smile, unable to believe that both of them had just done that for him. He tugged on Rupert’s hand, bringing him to his feet. He sympathized with the wince that crossed his lovers face when the sudden change in position rubbed denim across hard flesh the wrong way.

Fred could see that Giles very definitely needed either a moment to himself or release, and given that they would be pressing their luck with anymore of what they had just been doing, getting him to the nearest bathroom seemed to be the best option at hand. She moved out of the row and then waited for Wesley and Giles to join her in the aisle and circled around to Giles’ other side so both she and Wesley could help shield his current condition from any lookey-lous.

As they hurried out, she saw one woman staring at her with a disapproving look on her face. Fred wondered if she had seen what they had done or if she was just judging her on the fact that she was at a movie theater with two men. She didn’t care, though. So what that she was with two men? It was her decision, and so far, she wasn’t regretting a second of it.

As soon as they reached the hallway outside the theater, they steered over to the nearby men’s bathroom. “You guys go,” she told them. “I’ll wait here.”

Wesley rubbed Giles’ back reassuringly, leaving him facing the wall. He looked at both his lovers and seemed to come to a decision within himself. He held up one finger to Fred, telling her he wouldn’t be long. He wanted to make sure the bathroom was empty. Finding it so, he smiled. They had taken a chance for him, now it was his turn to return the favor. Quickly, he ducked back out the door and grabbed both Rupert and Fred’s hand’s, pulling them inside. Ushering them both into the stall, he grabbed some paper towel and a refill packet for the soap dispenser. Stepping inside of the stall, he wasn’t entirely surprised to see Rupert still standing. Long, agile fingers quickly undid the snap of his jeans and lowered the zipper, bringing the older man’s jeans down over narrow hips. He sat Giles down on the single toilet in the stall, before taking a knee in front of Fred. Without hesitation, he reached under the skirt, and pulled her panties down long legs, before sliding them into his pocket. He looked pointedly from Fred to Rupert, wordlessly telling her what he wanted. This was for them.

Fred’s eyes opened in surprise. Here in the men’s bathroom? She had never done—but then again, she had never done what she had done in the theater either. Smiling, she held her hand out to Wesley, who helped her as she maneuvered in the small cubicle so she was straddling Rupert. Looking down in his eyes, she rested her other hand on his shoulder and sank down, taking him into her, still holding Wesley’s hand. Rupert was so hard, and she was still sensitive from everything they had been doing over the last twenty-four hours that she couldn’t help letting out a soft whimper even though she knew that here, like in the theater, they had to remain very quiet. It just added to it all, though.

Slowly, she began moving against Rupert, closing her eyes and raising her head up toward the ceiling. No one would ever believe that she – sweet, little Fred – was doing anything like this, but she loved this. She felt free. For the first time in years.

Wesley gave them a few minutes, smiling as Rupert’s head came forward and rested on Fred’s chest. If this was any other man in the world but Rupert Giles, he would gut the man for presuming to touch his Fred. But at the sight of his lovers together, he felt the familiar stirring in his jeans as his cock began to fill. Slowly, he undid the top of the soap and dipped his fingers into it. Yes, this would do. Moving in behind Fred, he lifted the skirt, exposing her rear to him. He dipped one finger, coating it generously, before moving it to her opening. He gently pushed past the ring of muscle, feeling Rupert’s cock moving in her through the thin wall of tissue. He moved his finger, stretching her, until he could slide in another. 

When he slid his fingers into her, Fred practically stopped breathing, suddenly realizing what he was planning. She had been fantasizing about this happening, about being with both of them at once, but she hadn’t thought of it happening here of all places.

He opened her until he thought she was ready. Lowering his own jeans, he stepped in behind her, coating his own shaft. In no way did he want this to hurt her. Ducking his head, he nipped at her throat from behind just as he slid into her body, filling her completely.

Any protests about this not being the place were shoved out of Fred’s mind the moment Wesley pushed into her. A sharp pain shot through her for a moment, but she forced herself to relax with several deep breaths until he was completely inside her—until both of them were completely inside her. The pain subsided though there was slight edge to the pressure.

She moaned softly, “Oh, God.” Her fantasies definitely didn’t come close to the actual feeling.

Wesley concentrated on holding still until he felt her loosen up around him. He held Giles’ green eyes over Fred’s shoulder, both men concentrating on the rhythm that would be best for her. Gripping her hips, he felt Rupert’s strong hands over his, felt the hard flesh of the other man through the thin walls of his lover’s body. The pace started out slow...drawn out until all of them seemed lost to their passion. Then the force of their thrusts seemed to increase, rocking the thin body between them to its core.

She wanted to cry out from the sensations that threatened to overwhelm her, Rupert and Wesley filling her, thrusting into her, holding her close between them. She grabbed Giles’ shoulder and held tightly, knowing they wouldn’t hurt her. It was all so indescribable, her brain whirling and flitting from one feeling to another, her mouth falling open, her eyes rolling up.

“I—I—too...” Her head lolled forward to rest on the back on her hand on Rupert’s shoulder as her body began to tremble again as she fell headlong into release.

Normally, Giles knew he would need longer to go over that edge, but he was already so close to begin with. When she hit her release, she constricted around him, wringing him hard. He turned his head, claiming her mouth in an effort to stifle the need to cry out. Suddenly, his cock surged, and he emptied himself into the thin body atop of him. 

Wesley knew he wouldn’t last long. Not after what they had pulled on him in the theatre. But he didn’t care. He felt Fred’s release as she clamped down on him, pulling his own out of him with such a searing intensity that he almost blacked out. He lowered his head down on her shoulder, biting down on the skin to prevent himself from crying out. He knew they had to be crushing Rupert, as they caught their breaths, but the older man didn’t seem to mind. When he was certain his legs would support him, he pulled out of Fred slowly, standing to his full height. 

Once she finally came down from the high of her orgasm, her entire body felt like rubber, from her legs to her upper body to her hands. She was still shaking when she realized that Wesley had pulled out of her, and as she tried to stand up, Rupert sliding out of her, she almost lost her footing and pitched into him. 

Wesley caught Fred, wrapping one arm around her tightly until she no longer felt like her legs were going to give way beneath her. The other came up to stroke her face, turning her head toward him. He lowered his head, kissing her softly, and deeply. When he was certain she could stand on her own, he released her with a smile. He looked over at Rupert to find him standing as well with an odd look on his face. 

Stepping forward, he cupped Fred’s face and kissed her, trying to convey his thanks into every movement of his lips against hers. Giles then moved in front of Wesley. 

“Thank you. It was unnecessary, but thank you all the same,” he managed in a whisper, before leaning forward and kissing the younger man. Giles wasn’t certain what to think. Yesterday, he had believed they included him out of some kind of need and possibly gratitude. But today, he felt the emotion surging between the three of them and didn’t know what to make of it. His own emotions were in turmoil. He knew he loved both of his young lovers. Wesley with his big blue eyes and even bigger heart. And Fred, sweet Fred, who had a strength of spirit unlike any he had ever known. At first, he and Fred were joined to support Wesley. But now, there seemed to be something tangible, something important between them. 

“It was necessary,” she whispered, her heart fluttering now even thought her body no longer was. “You needed that release as much as we did. We weren’t going to leave you out, were we?”

A part of still couldn’t believe that she had done this, much less that she had fallen—yes, fallen in love with two men. People were raised to believe that a relationship was between two people, and two people only. But this...this was beyond anything she could have ever imagined, and it felt right. Had felt right from the moment Giles had stridden up to her in the hospital and taken her up to Wesley. Two men, so alike in many ways and yet so different in others. Complementary.

And besides, two lines could cross each other, but they couldn’t really connect to each other to create one continuous form. Three lines could.

“Fred,” Giles smiled patiently, pulling up his jeans, “in the last seven years, I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve had the opportunity to make love to someone.” He held up two fingers in front of her. “There have been two women. One I didn’t even have a choice since we were under the influence of a curse. Yes, seeing the both of you like that, in the theatre, tasting him on your tongue, tasting you off of his fingers...it made me harder than I ever remember being. But I could have gone without. This was a gift, plain and simple.”

As he smiled at Wes pulling up his own jeans, Fred blushed at her misunderstanding at what he had meant. That was something she was going to have to get used to and come to understand. It was no longer her fending for herself with or without friends around. She was in a relationship with two other people who had different outlooks and experiences.

She glanced over at Wes as she reached for some tissue to clean herself up. “Making you happy is as important to me now as making Wesley happy. We wanted to do it – unnecessary or not. And...” She took a breath. “I’m glad you see it as a gift because both of you are to me.”

Giles smiled and stepped forward, wrapping his arms around Fred. He cradled her head to his chest, his heart feeling lighter than it had in months. He didn’t have to raise his head to know that Wesley was watching them, he could sense it. When his green eyes finally met Wesley’s blue over the top of Fred’s head, he was surprised by what he saw. There was still the weight of his guilt...but mostly, there was happiness, and love. Even more than there had been that morning. 

Wesley stepped behind Fred and wrapped his arms around her, effectively sandwiching her in between himself and Rupert. For the first time in his life, he felt as if he had come home. 

Fred closed her eyes as she rested her head against Rupert’s chest and listened to his heart beat. Behind her, she could feel Wesley’s heart as well as he pressed against her. For the first time in a while, she felt unconditional acceptance and love. Even back at the Hyperion, she had sometimes felt as though she was sometimes underfoot or a bit of a hanger-on or that she had to hide what she felt and could do. Here, though, she didn’t have to.

“Without making the moment more mushy than it already is,” she said, her voice muffled a bit by Giles’ chest, “you two are the best thing to happen to me in a long time.”

Giles looked down at his watch after taking a moment to enjoy their touch. “We have about twenty minutes until the movie ends. You two stay here, and I’ll make certain it’s clear,” he ordered, quickly sliding out of the stall.

While he went to check that the coast was clear, Fred took the opportunity to clean herself up with the tissue she had grabbed and flushed it. Then she looked over at Wesley and leaned over to kiss him again. “You’re stuck with both of us,” she said with a low chuckle, taking his hand.

He had to wait for one man to finish up, but once he was gone, Giles returned to the stall to reclaim his lovers. “All right, come on,” he whispered, leading both of them out of the bathroom into the hallway. Only then could he allow himself to take a moment to stretch out sore muscles.

Fred, meanwhile, looked up around, wondering what they were going to do next. They had left the bonbons in the theater – and they were probably melted by now, so she felt sorry for anyone who might sit in the seat. “Since the movie’s been...well, not what we expected, maybe we could go for ice cream and then head home?”

Wesley nodded, starting to realize that he was truly happy, and that he was meant to be there. What they had just done, he was still reeling from the ramifications. He still couldn’t believe these two wonderful people were with him, but he was beginning to come to terms with the fact that they chose to be there, and dare he even think it...they wanted to be there. He found himself laughing softly when Fred referred to the movie as ‘not what they expected.’ That was a euphemism if he ever heard one. He followed his lovers to the exit. Ice cream, that sounded great, and the cold would do his throat some good.

There was an ice cream parlor nearby the movie theater, so the three of them walked across the road and into the little shop, which was a bit busier than the theater had been. It looked like people had decided to take an early afternoon and get something cold since it was so warm out. They had to wait for a few minutes before someone could take their order, so they looked at the offerings while they waited.

“Something to share?” she asked. That could get them into trouble again, given the way the three of them seemed to act around each other. “Or do we want to get our own.”

Of course, that could get them into trouble too.

Wesley looked up at the board, feeling a taste for a banana split. He knew with his throat, nuts and strawberry sauce were out of the question. But the mixture of flavors was making his mouth water. Giles smirked and handed him the little note pad from his pocket. The excitement in his eyes it did Giles’ heart good.

Banana Split, no nuts, extra whip cream, chocolate sauce and caramel, Wes wrote, passing the paper over to Giles. He showed it to Fred with a smile.

She grinned over at Wesley when she read what he wanted. “That sounds really, really good.” 

The kid behind the counter looked at her expectantly, so she gave him Wesley’s order while she looked back over the menu again. They could always share each other’s ice cream if they wanted instead of all getting the same thing. When the server came back with Wesley’s banana split, she had decided. She thought.

“I’d like mint chocolate chip shake please.” She looked over at the guys, who seemed amused by her rather plain order. “I...uh...well...I never was very good with knowing what I wanted to get. It always ends up as a shake or a sugar cone.”

“It’s all right, Fred. Get what you want. I think I’ll try a Banana Foster with the caramel ribbon french vanilla ice cream. Extra whipped cream, no nuts, extra chocolate sauce,” Giles ordered, passing the young man behind the counter a twenty. “You know, Wes, this would have been a lot easier if you hadn’t cornered the market on all the tastes on your order.” He grinned at Fred when he noted Wesley’s sheepish look at his teasing. “It’s okay though. It’s good to see you this happy. You should smile more. It really lights up your face.”

“I definitely agree with that,” Fred said as she reached out and took her shake from the counter. She took a sip of it and watched as the kid put together Giles’ order. Now she definitely felt boring. She really was never good at choosing from all the options. “Too bad they don’t have anything like that huge sundae Napoleon had in Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure. Although we’d probably be here forever if we got one of those.”

Both men looked up at her with blank looks on their faces, neither recognizing the reference. Fred didn’t figure either of them would. It wasn’t exactly a movie she imagined them showing at Watcher Academy. Although she wondered what they would make of some of the most famous people in history running around a California mall. Of course, considering what they had been up against – some in malls, no less – the idea probably wasn’t all that interesting to them. Once Giles’ Banana Foster was ready, they found a table outside the parlor. Most everyone else was inside the store or taking their ice cream elsewhere, so it was fairly quiet in the patio area.

Giles was focused on Wesley, not touching his ice cream until the younger man started on his. He watched him take a few spoonfuls, slowly rolling them around on his tongue before trying to swallow. 

The tastes were blissful. Wesley had never developed an appreciation for simple tastes until he had been condemned to eating bland, hospital-assigned mush. Now, everything had such a rich flavor, even in this banana split. And he was enjoying it. He smiled up at Giles and nodded when the other man asked if his throat was all right.

Watching Wesley enjoy his ice cream, Fred smiled and took a sip of her shake. The kid behind the counter had put some whipped cream on it even though she hadn’t asked. She raised her face a bit toward the sun, enjoying being outside – it wasn’t something they did often, considering the work they did was usually at night.

Sunshine. A happy Wesley. Time spent with the two men who had become the most important in her life next to her father. This had turned out to be probably the most wonderful day she had had since returning home from Pylea.

Giles began on his ice cream, enjoying the atmosphere, just sitting here with his lovers. He noted the look on Fred’s face, and grinned. “Happy, luv?” he asked her, noticing Wesley had stopped eating as if he wanted to hear the answer to this. “You look relaxed, almost at peace,” he noted, wondering what was going on in that massive brain of hers.

Smiling a bit bashfully, she nodded. “It’s just...for the first time since I can really remember, I don’t feel like...I have to watch out behind me or have to worry that something unexpected is going to happen and break all this. I had kind of forgotten what it feels like because I had gotten so used to just running or hiding or trying to make sure that I was never caught off guard. I know we still have things that we have to get done, and we will, but this...it’s just nice to have a real breather and do what we want with no interruptions.” She stopped and took a deep breath. “And if you understand any of what I just said, can you translate it back to me?”

A slow, warm smile spread across Giles’ face when he realized what she was saying. He had to agree. They were all good at their jobs. Jobs which afforded them very little relaxation time. Sometimes, you just had to grab the moments that you could get. 

“It sounds like you trust us enough to let your guard down and enjoy this.” That thought alone touched the older man’s heart. “We don’t expect you to be ‘smart’ Fred, or ‘sweet’ Fred or any of the above. We just want you to be you. And we’ll accept whatever that means. I think, subconsciously, you know this.” He paused, digging into his ice cream once again. “We know our jobs, love, and we’ll get them done. But these moments are few and far between. We deserve this....time for just us.” He chuckled, noting Wesley already had half of his banana split gone. “Am I close?” 

She nodded. “You got it. I’m so grateful that neither of you expect me to be anything other than me. It seems that everyone else always does.” She sighed and shook her head slightly, remembering her conversation with Charles at the fairgrounds, only now really understanding what it meant. He hadn’t wanted her – he had wanted a trophy to show off.

Wesley and Giles wanted her. That made the world of difference.

She looked over at Wesley, who was listening while he worked through his split. It really was good to see him like this. “I take it that the split meets with your approval.”

Wesley looked up sheepishly with a mouthful of whipped cream. He snapped his fingers, calling for the little pad of paper Giles had. With a laugh, Rupert passed it to him. Setting his spoon down for a moment, he scribbled something down. Passing the pad to Fred, he grinned mischievously, immediately turning back to his split. 

Getting up from the table, Giles looked over Fred’s shoulder at the note.

The tastes are phenomenal...but still not exciting as the company.

“Exciting, huh?” she said, trying not to laugh at the imperial air he had affected in ‘asking’ Giles for the paper. He was obviously getting used to them being there and helping to take care of him. “I don’t think anyone has ever said I was exciting before. I mean, geeky sure. Too smart for my own good? Definitely. But not exciting. I mean, look at me. Couldn’t even decide on ice cream and went with a boring old shake.” She held her still mostly full cup up to make her point.

“Exciting,” Giles agreed with Wesley’s description of Fred as such. “You don’t see yourself, Fred. I knew, before I arrived, how he felt about you. Your brilliance keeps him on his toes. Both of you are two of the smartest people I’ve ever met. But it’s in different ways. So there’s no chance of you boring each other.” He smirked. “And watching you both, especially you. How that fire just smolders in your dark eyes when one of us touches you.” He met her dark gaze, his green eyes flaring at the memories that passed through his mind. “Contrary to what society thinks, a man isn’t always into the simple act for pleasure. To see your partner respond to your touch, like you do with us, their eyes glazing over, skin flushing, panting...so wanton. To me, it’s more arousing than just ‘making love.’ I can look out onto this street and pick out at least a dozen women that you would compare yourself to and no doubt find yourself to be wanting. Wesley saw you first, but I know now what he was going on about. Those same women, they don’t hold a candle to you. You’re beautiful, brilliant, strong, loving, and you have a strength of spirit and character that I find lacking in so many nowadays. Wesley and I, if we chose, wouldn’t be hurting for company, female or otherwise. But our lives are too dangerous to seriously consider any of these facades. Pretty, empty faces with nothing but a shell inside. You...you’re the genuine article. And having that, in such a beautiful package, is immensely exciting. Whether you choose a shake or a banana split...is irrelevant.” He looked toward Wesley and laughed when the man nodded hard. “And the peanut gallery agrees,” he added with a smug smirk.

Fred stared at Giles then over at Wesley, then back to Giles again, unable to make herself say anything. No one – no one – had ever said anything like that to her before. She had always been considered not normal, first because of her smarts and conspiracy theories and then because of her craziness. To hear not one but two men wanted her in spite of that – because of that – made her entire insides warm like nothing else. Dropping her cup onto the table, she suddenly found herself up out of her seat and hugging Rupert tightly.

“I love you,” she found herself telling him. She felt his surprise and pulled back a bit to look at him, feeling her cheeks going even pinker than they had been. “I do. I love both of you.” She looked over at Wesley with this, smiling at him. “I never intended for it to happen, but it did. I’ve fallen in love with the two most wonderful guys a girl could ever hope to have. Being with both of you has been...amazing.”

“And here you are, proving my point. I’m not blind. I know your experience with men is limited. It’s not a condemnation – quite the contrary, I think it makes you even more alluring. But you have enough room here,” he placed his hand over her heart, “for both of us. You have shown curiosity and openness in a situation that you had never been exposed to before...all because of this.” He pressed down on her heart. “Do you have any idea how amazing that makes you. Wesley is right, you are a treasure.” He draped one arm around her waist and reached the other across the table to clasp Wesley’s hand in his. Blue eyes met green, and Giles smiled seeing that there was no anger, no jealousy in Wesley regarding what Fred had said to him. If anything, there was a hunger there, that hadn’t been present even minutes ago. “And stop talking like this is temporary, I can’t speak for the both of you, but I’m too bloody old for anything casual,” he warned, letting them both know, that if they wanted him, he was in this for the long haul.

“I’m definitely not looking at this as temporary,” she admitted, glancing over at Wesley, pretty sure that he felt the same way. “When we asked you in, I wasn’t completely sure what was going to happen, but now...I wouldn’t ever ask you to leave. And from the look on Wesley’s face, I’d say that he wouldn’t either.” She took a deep breath, feeling her heart flutter as she looked at the faces of both men she loved. “I told Wesley in the bathroom earlier that he’s stuck with both of us. That goes for you as well.”

Wesley gave Giles’ hand a reassuring squeeze. There was so much he wanted to say to the both of them. And especially in moments like this, he found his enforced silence frustrating. He smiled at Fred. She was doing a good job speaking for both of them at the moment. He knew he would do anything for either of them, his two phenomenal lovers. Fred with her loving nature, and Rupert – contrary to his protests – did lead with his heart. He didn’t love easily, but when he did, he protected that love with the fierceness of a den of vampires. He sighed happily, again wondering how he had gotten so lucky. 

Giles hung his head for a moment, touched that this woman, after knowing him for such a short time, would include him in her heart. And to tell him so, spoke volumes of her bravery. He felt the squeeze on his hand, and Wesley’s thumb absently stroking the skin on the back of it. Turning his head slightly, he felt the eyes of his lovers and, for some reason, felt self conscious. 

“Your split is melting,” he said, nodding toward the dish that Wesley seemed no longer interested in. 

“So’s yours,” Fred told him, pointing to the remains of the Banana Foster sitting in front of Giles’ abandoned chair. She picked up her shake and opened the top to look inside. “As is mine.” She looked at both of them and chuckled a bit before taking a swallow of some of the sludgy mint chocolate chip. “I guess ice cream isn’t the best thing to have when you suddenly find yourself in a heart to heart to heart, huh?”

“I don’t know about that,” Giles remarked lightly, getting up from the table to throw away the remnants of their treats. He didn’t notice Wesley take the little pad of paper and write something on the pad hurriedly. He ripped off the sheet and passed it to Fred. 

Let’s take him home, the note said. He smiled at her knowingly before looking at Giles’ broad back.

Fred grinned widely at that and nodded. “That sounds like a very good idea,” she told him, standing up and reaching over to take Wesley’s hand. By the time he was standing, Giles had turned back toward them, so she held up Wesley’s note. “We’ve decided that it’s time to take you home because there are just some things to be done that aren’t proper for passers-by to be seeing.”

She hooked her arms through both men’s, and together, they crossed back to the theater parking lot to the car. A few people stopped and stared, but she didn’t notice. She only had eyes for the two men she was with.

It didn’t take them long to get back to Wesley’s flat. Giles paused to put the top up on his car, the radio having mentioned rain tomorrow. Not wanting to give Wesley’s neighbors any fodder for gossip, the three of them seemed determine to behave themselves until they got behind closed doors. He allowed Wesley and Fred to go ahead of him, still trying to figure out when his life had taken such an odd turn. He knew there had been some questions regarding Wesley, within himself, even before he arrived. And Fred, the unexpected surprise, seemed to have a direct line to his heart. Having been with both of them, it felt like an addiction. He couldn’t seem to get enough. For five years, he had done everything expected of him, stood by his Slayer, took care of his family. Now he had a chance to grab something for himself. This was his chance to be selfish...in a manner of speaking. Hadn’t he earned it? His Slayer was dead. Buffy, she would want him to reach for this happiness, wouldn’t she? 

Wesley noted the look on Giles’ face when he came through the door. He knew that look. The younger man’s brow furrowed, realizing that he had to do something. His energy was quickly waning, but they were home, and his lover needed him. Keeping hold of Fred’s hand, he brought her with him, while he stood in Giles’ eyeline, drawing his attention. 

“Wes? What...?” Giles blinked, looking at him confused. He stopped abruptly when Wesley shook his head. The unspoken order was received...no talking. His breath caught in his chest, seeing the dark head close in until warm lips covered his.

Fred watched Wesley kiss Rupert. These were her guys. It didn’t seem possible that in such a short time she could have found this, but at the same time, given the life they all led, the life she had been forced into, the fact that it had happened so quickly didn’t seem wrong. They couldn’t afford to play carefully, to dance around things, to wait and wonder. They had to grab onto each other and hold on while they had the chance.

Giles ran his fingers through the now short hair, on Wesley. His heart was racing in his chest, the thundering of his own blood the only sound in his ears. “You have no idea how much this new cut suits you,” he told him, softly, feeling the familiar stirring in his jeans. “These eyes...you are beautiful.”

When the boys paused in their kiss, Fred could see that Wesley was looking tired – not surprising given what they had been doing. With a smile, she moved in closer and kissed each of them in turn, long and lovingly, then took both of their hands and led them back into the bedroom.

“Both of you take my breath away,” Giles whispered, allowing himself to be guided to the bedroom. Just before they reached the bed, his nostrils flared as the familiar scent assaulted him. With a wry smile, he approached Wes and turned him, plunging a hand into his front pocket. 

Wesley gasped as Rupert’s fingers brushed his rapidly filling shaft. The suddenness of the attack had him so off kilter that he didn’t realize that his lover was after the only thing in that pocket – Fred’s panties from the theatre that he never returned to her. Just as long as the fingers continued their massage, he didn’t care.

With a wry smile, Giles finally withdrew the item he was searching for. Keeping the panties balled up in his hand, he helped Wesley into the chair in the corner of the room. Once he was situated, both of their eyes met. 

“You’re a Watcher, so watch, Wesley. And join us when you feel up to it,” he whispered before turning to face Fred. “Fred, luv. Are you still missing something?” he inquired, the amusement clear in his tone. Opening his hand, he allowed the material to dangle from his fingers. The scent of her first release was all over them. “I can smell you. Your musk is driving me mad.” His grin grew, and he knew hearing the words was just as exciting as the act for a woman like Fred. “I remember your reaction, seeing me suck your moisture off of Wesley’s fingers. Is that what you want? Do you want my head, my tongue between your legs, drinking you?”

Fred had forgotten that Wesley had taken her panties and hadn’t returned them. Going around without them had become rather second-nature for a long time, and so she hadn’t thought about asking for them back. Now, seeing Giles standing there, holding them, talking to her that way, she felt her breath begin to hitch and her heart begin to flutter. Her eyes staying locked on his, she walked forward to him, highly aware of Wesley’s eyes also on her, and reached out wrap her hand over his, nodding at his question. She felt goose bumps come up on her arms in anticipation as she did, just seeing the promise that was there in his green eyes, in the way he spoke to her.

Giles let the panties drop from his hand, the corner of his mouth curling into a smile at the fire starting to build in her dark eyes. Gripping the hem of her top, he pulled it up over her head, exposing her to his gaze. Yes, she was thin, but she was beautiful. He slid down to his knees, sliding one calloused hand in between her legs. The other went to the button on the back, undoing the skirt, just as fingers brushed her vagina in a moment of teasing. Leaning back, he allowed the skirt to fall to the floor. He nudged her backwards toward the bed until the backs of her legs hit the mattress.

“Lay back,” he ordered, his voice thick with arousal. When she complied, he spread her legs wide, leaning his head down between them. He began placing soft kisses on the insides of her thighs. “You smell delicious. Makes my mouth water,” he mumbled between kisses, as he worked closer to his prize.

Fred gasped softly, her hands digging into the quilt on Wesley’s bed as Giles worked his way up her leg, feeling like she was going to either melt into goo right there on the sheets or jump clear off the bed. Her body had been in a state of almost perpetual arousal since the night before, and it was sending her nerves into hyper-sensitive overdrive. When Rupert exhaled a breath across her, she shivered, her whole body trembling for several moments.

“Oh, God, please,” she panted. “More. Need...more...”

“Soon,” Giles chuckled deeply, intending to make this enjoyable for all of them. Placing one arm across her midsection to hold her, he used his fingers on that hand to open her to him completely. Leaning his head down, he trailed his tongue through her lips, tasting the accumulating moisture there. He groaned as the taste hit his tongue, sending vibrations across her opening. Pointing his tongue, he slid it as far into her as it would go. He grinned against her when she almost bucked right off the bed. Lifting his head slightly, he saw her head thrown back, skin flushed, breathless vision of his lover and felt himself harden even more. Focusing his attention back on the important things, he wrapped his lips around her clit, alternating between sucking and working the bundle of nerves with his tongue.

“Fu—ohhh...” Everything in her was focused on the sensations that were shooting through her, the feel of his lips and tongue moving across her and inside her, sending her mind spinning with every move. Her mind couldn’t process any thoughts. All she knew was him and Wesley watching and that she had never felt anything like the love they were showering her with before. It tingled in her fingers and stopped her breath in her throat. “Rup—Rupert...ga...”

Continuing his motions, he lifted his free hand and slid two fingers into her body. He stroked her walls, looking for the one spot he knew would send her over the edge. He moaned, feeling her wetness surrounding his digits, her internal muscles gripping him. Redoubling his efforts, he increased the suction, pistoning his fingers in and out of her. 

Wesley gasped hard, seeing the pleasure of both of his lovers. He couldn’t take it any longer. Undoing the snap on his jeans, he lowered his zipper and drew himself out. He breathed a sigh of relief as the cool air hit his hard, hot flesh. Balling his hands in his fists, he forced himself to not relieve his own need. He wanted this fire welling up in his gut. Needed it...the adrenaline of it giving him energy. 

His fingers moving faster, his tongue and lips working her mercilessly, took Fred closer and closer to that precipice, leaving her hanging there for a moment, unable to shout out or beg. She wanted to instinctively close her legs but couldn’t, and finally everything snapped, the wave running through her body like a tsunami, sending her crashing down with a strangled cry. Blood pounded in her ears as she quaked uncontrollably, her spasms pulsing around Rupert’s fingers.

He had known when she was close, feeling her muscles fluttering around his fingers, so when she clenched down on him hard, he withdrew his fingers, lowering his mouth to her opening to collect her release on his tongue. The taste was exquisite. When her trembling stopped, he pushed his weight up and onto the bed, bracing himself on his arms above her. Looking down into her passion glazed eyes, he smiled. 

“Just as I thought – divine,” he said, his voice harsh with his own need. “You have no idea how beautiful you look right now.” He trailed a finger down her torso. “Nipples tight, skin flushed, absolutely breathtaking.” 

Fred sucked in a breath at the feel of his fingertip, the sound of his voice. No one had over talked to her like this or had treated her the way both of them did. Lying there on the bed, she felt as beautiful as Rupert said she did. Reaching up, she twined her fingers through his hair and pulled his face down to kiss him and could taste herself in his mouth. Long ago, she might have found the idea of tasting herself strange, but now, it seemed natural.

When they parted, she smiled up at him then looked over at Wesley, seeing the look in his eyes, his pants open with his cock out. “Are you up to joining us?” she asked him before glancing up at Rupert.

Giles looked at Wesley carefully. He could see the man was tired, but he was also vibrating with need. With two younger lovers, he knew there would be times where two played while the other sat out. Which was why times like this, with the three of them together, were meant to be treasured. He was willing to bet if he asked Wesley, the younger man preferred this method rather than a sleeping pill. This time would be for him – not that he and Fred wouldn’t enjoy it as well. His brain quickly went over several options before he gave Fred a big smile. 

“We’ll need to unwrap him first,” he smirked, getting to his feet. He extended a hand to help Fred up, intending to give her the honors.

She nodded and slid off the bed, feeling a little shaky on her legs but able to stay upright anyway. Walking over to Wes, she leaned over to kiss him deeply and then knelt in front of him on the floor. After unbuttoning his shirt and pushing it off his arms, she slid his jeans down with his help when he pushed himself out of his chair slightly, pulling them off his legs and tossing them away.

“So handsome,” she murmured, running her hands up his thighs to his erect cock, tracing her finger up the underside to his tip. The reaction she got was wonderful. She then rose to her feet and helped him to stand up, pressing herself against him, not able to get enough of the feel of their bare skin against each other.

Wesley’s breath caught in his throat when Fred’s hands slid up his thighs to touch him. He blushed deeply when she called him handsome, ducking his head briefly. But when she traced the vein on the underside of his shaft, his head fell back in a whispered moan. He stood slowly, his body coiled tight with desire for the woman in his arms. 

Giles stayed back purposely, allowing the two their moment together. He pulled the green pullover off and tossed it into the chair Wesley had just vacated. He watched Fred lead the younger man back to the bed. His smile grew seeing the love in Wesley’s eyes when he looked at Fred. It was good to see him so happy after the suffering he had endured, not only as a boy but also at the hands of Angel.

She loved the way he touched her and the way he looked at her. It made her feel as warm and tingly she had felt earlier. Climbing onto the bed, she sat back and pulled him on with her, lying back so he was over her. A moment later, they were kissing again, entwined in each other’s arms and legs.

Wesley was lost in the feeling of her, the taste of her. God, he loved her so much. Letting his weight drop down on top of Fred just a bit, he deepened the kiss. After several minutes, he broke the kiss, looking down into her dark eyes. He swallowed a couple of times, wanting to force his voice to work. 

“Love you,” he managed in a harsh whisper, relieved when he didn’t taste any blood. Slowly, he reached down, curling her leg around his hip.

Giles silently got out of his jeans. He wanted to chastise Wes for trying to speak but held his tongue when he realized his young lover wasn’t pushing it any further. Walking to the bedside table, he picked up the tube of lubricant. He stood by the bed for a moment, just watching them together.

Fred felt her eyes tear up when he spoke to her, telling her that he loved her. Part of her wanted to tell him that he shouldn’t have risked his voice for it, but another part of her was touched by it. “I love you too,” she whispered, putting her fingers over his lips to tell him silently that he shouldn’t say anymore, that she understood.

Pulling back slightly, Wesley placed his tip at her opening. Holding her gaze, he bent his head, kissing her deeply as he pushed forward with his hips, filling her. 

When he entered her, she gasped into his kiss, lifting her hips off the bed to meet his thrust, pulling him deeper into her. It felt like she couldn’t get close enough to him, to either of them, no matter what they did. She had never wanted anyone – much less two – so badly, and she had them.

Giles flipped the cap off the lube and squirted a generous amount on his fingers. He placed a warm hand in the small of Wesley’s back as he moved in and out of Fred. Starting with one finger, he slid it into Wesley’s body intending to stretch him open. When the muscles started to relax, he withdrew his hand, using more lube, and brought back two and three fingers until he was completely open to him. Moving onto the bed behind Wesley, he placed himself at his entrance, allowing the younger man’s movement to spear himself on him. 

Wesley’s breathing was harsh and ragged in anticipation of what he knew Giles was planning. He could feel Fred’s wet heat surrounding him, and Giles behind him. Suddenly, he was filled and stars exploded behind his eyes. He threw his head back, barely biting back the scream in his throat. 

“Easy...” Giles said softly, waiting for both of the bodies underneath him to grow accustomed to this new addition. He looked over Wesley’s shoulder and met Fred’s passion-glazed eyes. 

She groaned, Rupert’s extra weight serving to help push Wesley a bit deeper inside her. Reaching out, she grabbed Rupert’s hand and squeezed it tightly while her other hand wrapped around Wesley and caressed his neck. She tilted his head back down to kiss him deeply to keep him from screaming out when Giles began moving within him just as he was moving inside of her.

Giles felt Wesley starting to tremble beneath him. He lowered his head, trailing lips and tongue across his bare shoulder as he moved within the younger man. He leaned forward, bracing his weight on his hands while he increased the force of his thrusts, pushing Wesley deeper into Fred. He could feel the pleasure wrapping itself around him and fought to tamp it down, determined that the pair under him reach their fulfillment first. Moving his head, he pressed his lips to the skin behind Wesley’s ear, smiling against the bare skin when he heard the answering whimper.

Fred broke the kiss with Wesley and threw her head back against the pillow, gasping as she felt her entire body starting to tense up again. Everything inside her seemed to be spiraling up to a point just out of reach. She could see the way Wesley looked at her, all need and wanting and love and passion, and the way Giles looked at both of them the same way. It was all too much. With a cry, she gave herself over.

Giles felt Wesley tense as Fred clamped down on him, wringing him hard. He paused until he felt Wesley start to move again. Leaning back, he gripped the younger man’s hips, angling his thrusts, aiming for his prostate. He knew the moment he hit it when both of Wesley’s hands clutched at the pillow by Fred’s head. Concentrating on that spot, it didn’t take long for Wesley to go hurtling over the threshold. 

Wesley couldn’t think, he could barely breathe. The heat was coiled at the base of his spine, begging to be unleashed. Suddenly, he could feel the roar in his ears, and the answering roar in his groin. He heard Fred call out but couldn’t have told anyone what she said if his life depended on it. His head lolled back, and he felt lips close over his, the cries of his release disappearing into the taste of Rupert’s mouth. 

Giles released him to sag against Fred, knowing his own release was close. With both bodies under him still panting and trembling, he managed a few more thrusts before his own will gave out, and he emptied himself into Wesley. His thoughts were fuzzy as he tried to catch his breath. But he had enough presence of mind to roll to the side, pulling Wesley with him so Fred wouldn’t get squashed.

Fred’s legs fell slack onto the bed as soon as Wesley pulled out of her and collapsed by her side with Giles right behind him. She had never imagined feeling like this – sore and tired and sated and happy. After a moment of staring up at the ceiling, she turned on her side, looking at the guys, both of whom looked like she felt. Smiling tired, she reached over to touch Wesley’s face, then Giles’, amazed at how beautiful they were.

Wesley felt as if someone had pulled out his skeleton and replaced it with pudding. Now that he didn’t have the adrenaline giving him energy, his eyelids felt heavier than ever. He vaguely registered someone touching his face, but the call of sleep was calling much louder.

“Bloody hell,” Giles groaned, draping his arm over Wesley’s waist. “I swear you two will be the death of me,” he breathed out, still trying to catch his breath. Despite Ripper’s sexual appetites, Giles suspected that he would have a hard time keeping up with his two lovers. He would definitely have to increase his jogging regimen. He offered Fred a tired smile when she touched his face. “You look sated.”

She nodded at his comment – she was definitely sated and very tired now. And she could see that Wesley was about ready to fall asleep. Reaching down, she grabbed the blanket folded at the end of the bed and opened it up to pull up over the three of them. “I think we can all use some sleep,” she commented, snuggling down on her side so the boys would have more room. “Especially after all that and the fact that we don’t know how much we’re going to be getting in the upcoming days.”

Giles slid his hand under Wesley’s neck, and sat up slightly. He smirked at Fred at how fast Wesley was dropping off. He placed his free hand on the younger man’s shoulder. 

“Wes, luv, lay on your back,” he ordered gently, grinning when Wes complied without waking up in the slightest. He waited patiently for him to settle comfortably, before sliding his hand out from under his head and moving closer to the thin body. “I think we wore him out,” he whispered with a slight smile. He reached across and clasped her hand, entwining their fingers, before resting both of theirs on Wesley’s flat stomach. His brow furrowed when it occurred to him that the other man was too thin. Fred’s thinness was based on her voracious metabolism. Even since he’d been here, he had seen her eat quite a bit. But Wesley, he was more than willing to bet that the man simply didn’t eat. There wasn’t much he could do with Wes on this restricted diet, but he made a promise to himself that once the doctor cleared him, he would get some meat on his lover’s body.

“We did, didn’t we?” she responded, looking at their hands resting on Wesley’s scarred torso. They had made so many strides with him in the last few days, but there was still so much that needed to be done. Wesley still had quite a bit of healing ahead of him, even though he now knew how much he was loved. They would be there with him every step of the way.

She looked over at Rupert and smiled softly at him. “Goodnight,” she said, too tired to say anything else at the moment. Giving his hand a slight squeeze, she rested her hand against the pillow next to Wesley’s head and closed her eyes.

“Sleep well, Fred,” he whispered before allowing himself to rest. He knew he wouldn’t sleep much; it had been force of habit with Glory and her minions sneaking around looking for Dawn. The worry and desire to protect wasn’t exactly conducive to sleep. And now, he had two that were under his care. Reluctantly, he closed his eyes though, giving himself over to the demanding sleep.

 

*****

Giles winced in his sleep, the phantom pain in his left side roaring with a vengeance. Prying his eyes open, he found himself back in Sunnydale. Looking around, he gasped when he realized where he was. 

‘No!’ he cried out, the sight of the familiar tower making his blood run cold. He looked up, seeing a familiar form dropping like a stone. ‘NO!’

He clenched his eyes shut, not able to watch this again. He heard the sickening thud of human flesh impacting with pavement and nearly doubled over with the need to wretch. Walking to the site, as if by memory, he opened his eyes cautiously, dropping to his knees at the sight before him. However, instead of his beloved Buffy, he found himself looking at the broken form of his lover...Winifred Burkle. Hearing a sob from next to him, he looked over to see a battered Wesley, covered head to toe in blood, broken by his grief. 

“No!” Giles sat up straight on the bed, his heart racing. Green eyes immediately lit on the two forms in the bed with him. Not able to suppress the shudder that worked its way up his spine, he slowly slid out of the bed to his knees. Seeing them both safe and sleeping, he forced himself to calm some. Standing slowly, he grabbed his boxers and slid them on. Tea, maybe tea might help. He padded into the kitchen and put the kettle on to boil. Bracing his hands on the sink, back hunched over, he was trying to use all the will power at his disposal to tamp down on the urge to vomit. 

Fred’s dreams, in the meantime, were all over the place and scattered, taking her from Pylea to the Hyperion to Sunnydale, a place she didn’t even know but that would soon be her home. In all of the places, she was with Giles and Wesley as they faced whatever was there, whatever was waiting. They were walking down a street in Sunnydale when a figure walked out in front of them, a figure that they all recognized...

Blinking, she suddenly opened her eyes, finding herself awake. Her dreams flitted away quickly though she could recall something about a figure. Who it had been, she wasn’t sure.

Raising her head to try to find the clock, she noticed that the bed on the other side of Wesley was empty. Rupert was gone. She sat up and looked toward the bathroom, but didn’t see the light on in there. Then, she heard the distant whistling of the tea kettle. He was in the kitchen. Carefully, she slid out of bed, wincing a little as her muscles protested, and leaned down to pick up Wesley’s discarded shirt, slipping it on and buttoning a couple of the buttons just so it would stay closed. Then she headed for the kitchen, where the light was on.

“Rupert?” she called out softly as she entered, seeing him leaning over the sink. Immediately, she knew something was wrong and hurried over to him, putting her hand on his back. “Rupert, what’s wrong?”

Giles jumped slightly, his head snapping to the side when he felt the hand on his back. He spun quickly his eyes widening when he realized who was standing there. Without thinking about it, he pulled her into a desperate hug. He released a sigh of relief, instinctually curling his body around hers protectively. It was just a nightmare, he told himself. Fred was safe; she was alive. 

Her eyes practically bugged out in surprise when he grabbed her the way he did, holding her like he was afraid something was going to happen to her, like something had happened to her. Slowly, she brought her arms up to wrap around him, her hands running over rough patches of skin where scars marked his body. Between that and her worry for why he was acting like this, she felt tears coming to her eyes. “Whatever it is, it’s okay,” she told him, running one hand up to cup the back of his head. “What’s wrong? You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to, but I’m here to listen if you want me to.”

Giles called himself every kind of idiot, knowing that he was worrying her. He stepped back reluctantly, allowing his head to hang down. Taking a deep breath, he steeled himself. She deserved to know why he was acting like such a prat. He turned toward the stove, removing the kettle from the burner. 

“It was just a nightmare,” he replied in a tone that said he wasn’t sure if he was explaining or trying to convince himself. “It was the night Buffy died. The portal had opened already, and the dimensions were beginning to overlap. She jumped from the tower, her blood closed it.” He released a shaky breath. “I watched her jump, saw her body hit the ground.” 

Unable to help it, a small gasp escaped from her throat. He had actually watched Buffy die? No wonder he—no wonder he felt the way he did, had said the things he had said about not doing an amazing job because he had seen her die and hadn’t been to do anything to save her. “I’m so sorry,” she told him, reaching out to cup his cheek and wanting so badly to take his pain away. “I...I wish I knew what to say.”

“We couldn’t even give her a proper burial. Sunnydale is a Hellmouth. If the demons knew it was without a Slayer, the town would be overrun,” He explained, finishing his cup of tea. He turned to face her, holding the cup in his hand when what he really wanted was whiskey. But he wouldn’t do Wesley and Fred any good if he was drunk. “We did give her a grave, though. Willow cast a spell on it to hide it.”

He stopped to take a deep breath, and her heart ached for him, for what he wasn’t able to give to someone he obviously loved and cared for very much. It wasn’t fair that their lives were so screwed up that they couldn’t be allowed simple things, even in times of grief. She guessed that was why they had grabbed onto each other so quickly when the opportunity had presented itself – it gave them something they might otherwise never have a chance to have.

“But this nightmare was different than the others,” he began again in a small voice. 

“Different?” she asked, feeling her heart starting to pound, not sure she liked the sound of this. “How?”

Giles felt the tears start to fill his eyes and turned his head away from her, ashamed of his weakness. How could he tell her? He knew he had to though.

“It wasn’t Buffy that jumped this time....” He paused, still looking away from her. He forced himself to meet her concerned gaze. Reaching out a hand, he touched her face. “It was you.”

“M—m—me?” she stuttered, the ache in her heart constricting almost painfully. He had seen her jump off the tower? He had seen her die in his dre—nightmare? That was why he was so upset? Because of her? The tears in her eyes were flowing now as she reached up to cover his hand with her own. “It—it was just a dream, Rupert. I’m here, and I’m with both of you.”

“I know...here,” he tapped his temple with his finger. “But you’ve come to mean a lot to me in such a short time. I—it doesn’t make it easier here.” He placed a hand over his heart. “I saw your body lying there, broken and bloodied. Wesley was destroyed. I wasn’t far behind. I can’t lose anyone else. I don’t know if I can take it,” he admitted, his voice breaking under the emotion. It was something Wesley had understood. The kids, they expected him to be strong for all of them. To take everything in stride. He was just a man.

Fred immediately wrapped her arms around him tightly, holding him. “It’s okay,” she whispered. “I’m scared too. I’m so scared that one of these days something could happen, and I wouldn’t lose just one but two men that I love. I...I don’t know if I could take it either. We shouldn’t have to.”

Reaching up, she took his face in her hands so she could look in his eyes. She wasn’t sure what else to say – anything she could say sounded wrong. Tell him not to worry? That wasn’t fair, especially since she just admitted she was too. Tell him just to focus on today? How could anyone do that, especially with the kind of lives they had.

“No matter how you feel or how scared you are, just know you’re not alone now,” she finally told him and rose up on her toes to kiss him.

Giles nodded silently, unable to find his voice. Her touch was soothing. He gave a soggy chuckle, lowering his eyes in shame. He was supposed to be here to reassure them, not the other way round. Slowly, he lifted his eyes to meet hers. 

“That’s just it. I don’t know how I feel. I—just that I can’t lose either of you.” He released a shaky breath. “The last woman I allowed myself to love was murdered and left in my bed. If being alone means that you stay safe...” His words were cut off as her lips closed over his. The kiss was soft and drawn out, meant to reassure. He could feel his fear being overwhelmed by her gentleness and love. He wrapped his arms around her, drawing her close to his body. 

Fred felt him starting to relax a bit, pulling her closer as she kissed him. It wasn’t a passionate kiss such as they had shared in the last couple of days, the burning and intensity that had marked the need the three of them had felt. This was a simple kiss, showing how much they had come to mean to each other.

“You don’t have to know how you feel,” she finally told him when they parted for a moment. “It’s normal and human. And Wesley and I want you, Rupert, no matter what may or may not happen. We want you and love you, and nothing’s going to change our feelings. We’ll protect each other, I know we will.”

“I wish I shared your optimism.” He smiled sadly, reaching up a hand and stroking her hair away from her face. “You’re an amazing woman, Winifred Burkle, and I’m an old fool. I’m supposed to be the strong one, here for you and Wesley. Yet here you are, with your warm brown eyes and loving heart, reassuring me.” Green eyes met brown. “I’m not sure what I’ve done to deserve you, either of you, but I will always be grateful.”

“You’ve just been you. And you’re not an old fool. We’re in a relationship now, and unexpected or not, that means that you don’t always have to be the strong one anymore. We can be strong for you, and you can be strong us, and Wesley can be strong us.” Taking his hand, she pressed it to her heart. “Feel that? You’re in it, and you deserve it.”

With that, she brought her lips to his again for another kiss.

Lifting her up off the floor, he sat her down on the kitchen counter, stepping in between her legs. Sliding his hand up her neck, he cupped the back of her head, entwining his fingers in her dark locks. The kiss that started off soft and reassuring quickly turned heated. Giles felt his heart rate beginning to pick up, as he devoured her mouth.

Instinctively, she wrapped her legs around him, pressing herself against him while they continued to kiss, tongues dueling, lips crashing together. She ran her hand over his back, across the rough and smooth patches of skin down to the top of his boxers, where she slipped a hand inside to cup his bottom. The tenseness and soreness of her muscles from all that they had been doing was once again forgotten, and all she could feel was his skin and his body and his hands in her hair.

Nimble fingers quickly had the buttons of the shirt undone. He pushed the material down her shoulders, his eyes practically glowing in anticipation. God, she was beautiful – pale, perfect skin just begging to be touched. Running a calloused hand up her torso, his fingers caressed dusky nipples. Ducking his head, he drew one of them between his lips, using tongue and teeth on her skin.

She gasped, her head lolling back at the feel of Rupert sucking and nipping at her breasts. God, he so knew what he was doing, knew just how to—. “Oh, God,” she moaned, her body starting to tingle and go all gooey. If he hadn’t been standing in front of her with her legs wrapped around him, she felt like she might have slid right off the counter onto the kitchen floor and into a puddle of Fred. She was barely aware of her fingers pushing his boxers off him, sending them to the floor instead, and then her hands roaming all over the place, touching him everywhere she could.

Giles smiled against her flesh at the sound of her moan. He was calling on all of his experience from his Ripper days to keep two young lovers satisfied. So far, neither seemed to be complaining. He lifted his feet, stepping out of his boxers. Sliding a hand up her thigh, his fingers found her center, wanting to make certain she was ready for him. Tracing her outer lips, he felt her moisture coating her fingers. He pulled his head back to meet her eyes, just as he pushed two fingers into her channel. 

“I need you, Fred,” he rasped, stroking her walls. 

Fred’s breath quickened as she moved against his fingers, feeling the heel of his palm pressing to her. “You have me,” she choked out, reaching down to encircle his cock with her hand, swirling her finger across his tip and stroking him a few times. He was almost throbbing with the need he claimed to have. She guided him closer, telling him without words to take her.

Gripping her hips gently, he allowed himself to be guided to her entrance. Holding her gaze, he pressed forward with his hips, filling her entirely. His head fell back in bliss, her heat surrounding him. Starting a slow rhythm, he allowed his fear and worry to ebb as he took solace in her body. 

“Fred,” he groaned.

“I’m here,” she whispered back, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding onto him.

Using her legs, she pulled him closer against her and raised her hips a bit, whimpering as this allowed him to thrust deeper into her. The continuous sexual activity over the last few days meant she was still sensitive, and it wasn’t long before her head was spinning at the sensations running riot through her body.

“Not going anywhere,” she promised.

Giles was lost. He increased the force of his thrusts, giving himself over to the sensations running riot through his body. It was just a nightmare. Fred was here, wrapped around him. Hearing her whimper, he angled his hips to hit that spot. Concentrating on her pleasure seemed to increase his own. 

“I...” He pressed his forehead to hers, keeping up a hard rhythm. “I’m falling in love with you,” he confessed. 

“You—?” Fred found her emotions screaming as loud as all her nerve endings as surprise and pleasure and amazement and shock overtook her all at once. She had admitted her own feelings earlier but hadn’t imagined this from him. She should have realized, given what he had told her about his nightmares, about his fear of losing her or Wesley. Tears ran down her face as she looked up at him, her heart pounding almost in rhythm with his thrusts. “And you know how I feel...I’ve fallen in love with you just like I’ve fallen in love with Wesley. I want to have both of you in my life.”

Giles still couldn’t get used to hearing that. Someone that loved him, not because he was the Slayer’s watcher, or he could keep them safe. This was two incredible people that loved him. Just because he was the man he was. Her profession of love set his nerve endings on fire, that alone nearly taking him over the edge. 

“Shhhh, don’t cry,” he whispered, confused at the tears. “Everything will be all right,” he added, feeling himself hurtling toward the edge of release. 

“I know. I’m not—oh...” She trailed into a moan, gripping him tighter in her embrace, feeling herself starting to teeter on that edge and in that moment where it seemed it was actually possible for time to stand still. “Not sad. Oh, God, Rupert....”

Time suddenly exploded, and Fred felt as though she was tumbling off the edge of the counter.

Giles felt her clamp down on him and wring him hard. He gasped, feeling his own orgasm surge. He bowed his body over her as he emptied himself within her. Then laying his head down on her shoulder, he fought to catch his breath. 

“I still contend that I am too bloody old for this,” he managed with a breathless laugh. “You’re nearly half my age and will be the death of me.” He gave her a wry smile. “But what an enjoyable way to go.” He took several minutes to calm his racing heart, interspersing it with small kisses. 

The tears drying on her face, Fred chuckled, having to work hard to keep herself upright and not slump back against the cabinets behind her. “Well, I’m not exactly used to five times in twenty-four hours either and with two different guys no less. I feel like I’m probably going to be walking funny for weeks. But you’re right...it’s a great way to go if you have to go.” She ran a hand through his hair and kissed his forehead and then his lips. “Me entire world feels like it’s been turned topsy-turvy but righted at the same time when I’m with you and Wesley.”

Giles looked up horrified. They had been so worried about Wesley in the last twenty four hours; he was ashamed that he hadn’t considered Fred as much.

“I’m so sorry. Good lord, you must be tender,” he said softly, stroking her cheek. Her confession about being with the both of them helped his guilt slightly but not entirely. “I should have considered. I never wanted to hurt you.” He made himself a promise. Yes, one of his lovers had been injured, terribly, but it still didn’t excuse him from not considering the well being of the other. It wouldn’t happen again. 

She shook her head at that, having never intended to make him feel bad. “You didn’t hurt me. I wanted what happened as much as you and as much as Wesley did, so neither of you should blame yourself at all. I do know how to say ‘No,’ you know. We were all caught up in it, in being together – like we’re newlyweds or something.” She tilted her head into his palm as he stopped moving his hand and cupped her cheek. “Me being a bit tender in the morning is nothing compared to Wesley’s injuries. I don’t mind. If it gets too much, I’ll say something. I promise.”

“Do me a favor,” he began, accepting her reassurance. “Don’t mention the soreness to Wesley. He’ll blame himself and me, and we’ll have a difficult time getting him to participate ever again. We’ll all have sufficient time to recover when the books and things arrive tomorrow.” He smiled when something occurred to him. “If he gets playful in the meantime, I’ll distract him.” His smile grew mischievous. “Besides, something tells me you like watching the two of us. Our little voyeur,” he teased.

She felt herself blushing what had to be a very bright pink at that. “You make me sound all lechery or something.” Giggling a bit self-consciously, she looked down for a moment before focusing back at him. “I...yeah, seeing you and Wesley together...I can’t explain what it does to me, but...it’s beautiful. Both of you are beautiful. I’ve seen Wesley’s looks when he’s watched us. It’s like that. Seeing two men I love together...” She smiled and placed a kiss on Rupert’s nose in a sudden fit of impishness. “I feel very lucky, so I’m definitely going to enjoy it.”

“Watching isn’t lecherous – it’s something Wesley and I both trained most of our lives for,” he teased her. If he had to be honest with himself, he found the idea arousing. Taking Wesley’s cock between his lips, hearing his heart racing, his breathing labored...knowing Fred was watching, knowing it was turning her on. “You won’t be the only one to enjoy it,” he admitted, stepping back gently, sliding out of her carefully.

“I have a feeling that the bedroom is definitely going to be an interesting place from now on,” she said, slipping off the edge of the counter after he pulled out. She felt some dampness running down her leg and knew she needed to visit the bathroom. “Also, the bathroom, the kitchen, the living room, the dining table, the movie theater...” She bit her lip to keep from laughing out loud at the look Giles gave her, not wanting to wake Wesley up. Instead, she slipped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. “C’mon, I need to use the restroom, then let’s go back to bed and our guy.”

Giles gave her a heated look at all the places she mentioned. He could see her amusement in those dark eyes and adored her even more for it. He bent down and scooped up his boxers, not even bothering to put them back on. He had always been a bit of an exhibitionist, especially during his Ripper years, so he tended not to be self-conscious in the slightest. He draped his arm around her shoulders and steered her toward the bathroom.

Fred pulled the shirt back over her shoulders as she stepped into the bathroom though she didn’t bother to button it this time. Didn’t seem to be any point. She knew she had a nightdress in her bag, but she hadn’t worn it at all since she had come to stay here.

Without bothering to close the door all the way, she quickly used the toilet and cleaned herself up, wiping up the release that had run down her leg. She paused for a moment as she did, for the first time really realizing that they hadn’t been using protection, they had been so wrapped up in each other. She trusted that Wesley and Rupert were clean, but what about...? She shook her head. If it happened, it had happened. She’d bring up the topic with them later, once this was all over. With the books coming and the research they needed to be doing, the question of condoms or pill was the least of their worries. Connor – and Wesley – was their priority.

Flushing the tissue she had used, she quickly washed her face and hands before opening the door again.

“Ready?” Giles asked gently, as the door opened. Just before they got to the room, he placed a hand on her arm. “Thank you,” he whispered, giving her a final hug. “I’m sorry I woke you, but having you there, seeing you were okay. It helped.”

“It’s okay,” she replied to him, touching him briefly in the darkness. “I’m just glad that you’re all right. Don’t want either of you hurting if I can help it.”

He finally released her to return to the bedroom, where he stopped and smiled before looking over at Fred’s outline in the darkness of the room. Wesley had curled the pillow he and Fred were using under his neck and was turned toward the side he had been sleeping on. As if subconsciously searching for them both.

She couldn’t help but smile at the sight of Wesley on the bed. Even with it being so crowded with all three of them using it, it was obvious that he had gotten used to them being there. She was just glad he hadn’t woken up – he was still healing and needed all the rest he could get. Reaching over to give Rupert’s arm a squeeze, she then padded over to the side she had been sleeping on and slipped back under the blanket, resting her hand and cheek against Wesley.

Giles suspected the growing connection between the three of them was already becoming more intense than he had ever imagined. The feelings ran deep and, gauging by Wesley’s actions, into the sub-conscious. He nodded, seeing that the younger man seemed to settle as they rejoined him on the bed. Looking down at the hand on his arm, he nodded. 

“Good night, Fred.” he managed, before pressing his lips to Wesley’s forehead. “Good night to you too,” he whispered fondly, chuckling when he got a sleepy mumble in response. 

Fred smiled against Wesley’s back. “Night, Rupert, Wesley.”

She wasn’t sure how long she stayed awake listening to them breath, but before long, she had fallen asleep.

 

*****


	6. Chapter 6

Sun was once again streaming in through the crack in the curtain that none of them had again bothered to pull completely closed the night before. Fred groaned a bit and pulled her part of the blanket up over her head as she snuggled a bit closer to Wesley. A while longer. She just wanted to sleep a bit longer with her guys. The day could wait. The day could wait because the books were supposed to arrive today, and even though she knew they needed to help Connor, a tiny, selfish part of her wanted Wesley and Rupert to herself a while longer.

Wesley stirred slightly as he felt a ball of warmth settling into his side. It took several minutes to get his blue eyes to focus, and he couldn’t help but smile as memories caught up with him. He was in his bed, with Fred on one side – Fred was a cuddler, who knew? And Rupert on the other – that would explain the protective forearm draped over his midsection. It wasn’t as if he wanted to complain about either.

“Hey,” Fred murmured as Wesley shifted a bit, meaning that her pillow – which consisted a bit of the actual one as well as his back – move as well. “Was just getting comfortable again.” She opened her eyes and uncovered her head a bit. She could see that Wesley was awake, his eyes open. “Can I vote we stay in bed a little bit longer?”

Wesley smiled patiently, his body feeling the delicious aches from yesterday. He wanted to adhere to Fred’s request, but his bladder decided to play traitor on him this morning. Pushing his weight up and over her groggy form, he tested his legs until he felt they were stable. That assured, he padded to the bathroom, not self conscious in the slightest that he was totally naked. 

Giles stirred when he felt the bed dip, his senses on alert for any trouble with Wesley. He allowed a sleepy smile to cross his face when he realized no one was on pain or in trouble. Keeping one eye open, he watched one of his lovers enter the bathroom. 

“Now there is a lovely sight to wake up to,” he commented in a voice thick with amusement and sleep.

Fred raised her head slightly and nodded before resting her head on the pillow again. “It is, isn’t it?” She felt a bit more tender this morning than she had the night before, but as Rupert had asked, she wouldn’t mention it to Wesley. It wasn’t important anyway. And she’d get used to it after awhile, she was sure – especially if all of them remained as...amorous as they had been. Reaching over she rested a hand on Giles’ chest. “Morning, by the way. Did you sleep better?”

“Mmmmmm, yes. Regrettably at your expense. But no more nightmares. Thank you,” he replied, placing his hand over her smaller one. He still felt guilty about her tenderness and not having considered it in the slightest. But she did have a point. She could have said no.

“How are you this morning? Better or worse?” he inquired, but before she could answer, Wesley reappeared at the foot of the bed, snapping excitedly. It took a moment for Giles’ sleep-fogged brain to piece together what the younger man was going on about. “The things are here?” he asked, receiving an ecstatic nod. “All right, I’m coming.” He sighed, getting out of bed.

Fred was actually kind of glad that Wesley had interrupted them – she didn’t want him feeling any worse for her current...condition. Instead, she followed Rupert out of the bed, pulling Wesley’s shirt closer around her as they went out into the living room. There, sitting on the floor in the area between the coffee table and the television cabinet were a stack of books and some other things. It looked like the Council had been busy in their research.

Giles noted the papers and stack of texts, along with some parchment sticking out from under the couch. He got down on one knee to look.

“Looks like their aim was off,” he commented with a smirk. Standing, he moved in front of Wesley when his lover stepped toward the stack of books. “No, you shower, now.” He pointed back toward the bathroom. His brow furrowed when Wes seemed to silently protest. “Wesley, your physical well being is still in my care. I will not have your throat get infected because you allowed yourself to get ripe while we researched. Take a shower, and while you’re in there, I’ll organize this mess, and Fred can start the tea. While she showers, I’ll make breakfast for everyone. You two can eat while I get myself cleaned up.” He shook his head. “No arguments, Wesley. Go.” 

“You heard him,” Fred said, putting up a united front. She took put her hands on Wesley’s waist and steered him around to march him back to the bathroom. “I won’t have either of my guys facing any of that without taking care of themselves first.”

She let go of him but stood where she was to make sure he went into the bathroom before heading into the kitchen to make up a pot of tea.

Giles bit back a smile at the pout that appeared on Wesley’s handsome face before he retreated to the bathroom. He turned to face the piles of materials, starting to organize them by languages. He knew which languages he could handle and those Wesley could handle. He created a smaller pile, assuming that since Fred had been helping Wesley with research, she had to have at least a passing familiarity with some of the languages the other man knew. 

“He didn’t look happy we steam-rolled him,” Giles commented when he entered the kitchen after finishing his task. 

She looked up from the kettle, which was just coming to a boil and shrugged. “I know. If there’s anything I’ve learned about Wesley, it’s that he’s rather stubborn and independent when he wants to be. But he knows we’re doing this because we care. At least I hope he knows that we’re doing this because we care because if he thought that we were just doing this to be mean then we’d have a whole other load of issues that could pose a problem and...I’m overthinking things again.” She measured the five teaspoons of tea into the pot and then poured the tea in. “One of these days, I’m sure I’ll stop doing that. Maybe. Actually, probably never.”

Giles smiled patiently, starting to get things out of the fridge for breakfast. Eggs, some onions, diced ham, cheese. He could make scrambled eggs for Wesley and Western omelets for Fred and himself. He cocked his head to the side, listening for the shower. 

“I blame his father for that. Roger always thought himself some kind of hero. Always wanted to play the hero himself. It’s something he instilled in Wesley. Wes just doesn’t see how different he is from that pillock already. Roger would have no qualms about sacrificing others and claiming the credit, whereas Wesley won’t risk anyone if he can help it and try and do it all himself. I think he’s starting to get the message, though. He’s not alone. And we’re not about to let him go through this without us.” 

The more she heard about Roger Wyndam-Pryce, the more she despised the man. At least Giles was right – he did seem to finally be getting the message and understanding that he didn’t have to rely on only himself anymore. She hated that he had been forced to go through the stuff with the prophecy alone before this, and she didn’t want that to ever happen again. Not as long as she and Rupert were around, not as long as she was alive.

“In Pylea, a hero was the one who slew the most opponents in the ring,” she said softly, looking down at the tea steeping in the pot before putting the cover on. “That hero was known as the Groosalugg. He’s a good man, but he did it mostly to get out of his own lot in life, not to help others. Then I thought a hero was someone like Angel. But he does good because he feels he has to, not because he really wants to. I know now that a hero is someone that does what has to be done for the good of others, even if it might cause their own death...or worse. Wesley’s a hero. I hope he’ll truly understand that someday.”

Giles nodded, understanding her sentiment, probably more than she realized. He was pleased to see her come around to her solution on her own, especially when it brought her down on Wesley’s side. 

“When Buffy and I first arrived in Sunnydale, two of the first people we met were Willow and Xander. Both had grown up in the town, and both were determined to help us in any way possible. When they discovered that their school resided on a Hellmouth, and despite the fact that one of our first confrontations had cost them their childhood best friend, they couldn’t just sit by and do nothing. Willow turned out to be quite a powerful witch in her own right. But Xander....the boy is clumsy, hates research, and couldn’t use a sword proficiently if his life depended on it. His biggest weapon is,” Giles placed his hand over his heart, “that he fights from here. His love for his friends, for his town. He takes his lumps and comes back for more. To me, it’s people like Xander who personify the idea of a hero. The boy has virtually no training and no skills, and we could never do the things that we have without him. In a way, he and Wesley are a lot alike. I wonder how both of them, with the upbringing they had, can have such warm hearts, such selfless natures. That,will always be an enigma to me.” 

She nodded at that. “It is amazing, isn’t it? And some of the coldest people I met when I was in school had loving parents. Guess it goes to show that it’s not all about environment and nurturing. It really can depend on what a person is like on the inside.” She looked over at him and smiled. In some ways, she felt like she had learned more in the last week than she had in her last 27 years. “I’m really looking forward to meeting the others when we return to Sunnydale. That is what you said we were going to do, right? Go back there after we get...” She waved her hand around to indicate everything they had dealing with. “All this worked out?”

“Yes. It’ll be safest for you and Wesley...and for Connor. L.A. is Angel’s town – between him, Charles Gunn and Lilah Morgan, leaving you here unprotected is not an option,” he replied adamantly. “And I can’t in good conscience leave the Hellmouth to the others much longer.” He swallowed thickly. “Buffy might be gone, but that Hellmouth is still my responsibility. Plus not to sound selfish, I’d rather face that task with both of you with me,” he admitted, his smile a bit sheepish. 

Fred’s eyes opened wide when he said that. “Really?” she asked. As he nodded, he reached over and squeezed his arm. “Well, I’m not completely sure though he probably feels the same way – but I know that I would be glad to do whatever I can to help you and the others out in Sunnydale. It sounds like you all can use whatever assistance you can, based on the stories I’ve heard about the Hellmouth.”

“I’m worried about Wesley’s feelings about returning to Sunnydale, though. Logistically, he knows I’m right. It is the easiest place to protect you and him as well as Connor. But he also has a history in Sunnydale, very little of it good. I can deflect most of the grief from the kids regarding the past, but the biggest challenge will be Wesley facing his own demons,” he explained, concern radiating from his green eyes.

“It was that bad?” She didn’t need his response to tell her that it had been – the tone in his voice at mentioning Wesley’s demons had been enough. And somehow, she had the feeling that those demons also involved his father. “Whatever the demons are, I’ll be there with him and you however I can help. Maybe the th—four of us going there together as a family will help him. He’s going back for a different reason this time, and he’s wanted.”

“It was. Wesley was used, plain and simple. But for you to understand even remotely, I should go back a bit. Buffy’s eighteenth birthday is the right spot.” He took a breath, steeling his nerves against the one thing he would never forgive himself for....betraying his slayer.

“On a Slayer’s eighteenth birthday, the Council conducts a barbaric, outdated test on the current Slayer to test not only her physical acumen but also her mental capabilities. Her Watcher is to secretly give her injections, supplied by the Council, to sap her strength. The Council then locks her in a facility with a vampire. If she survives, she passes. If she doesn’t, the Council moves on to the next Slayer.” Giles hung his head. “All through Buffy’s test, I warred with myself. She was terrified, begging me to help her figure out what was going wrong with her. And, then her test went horribly wrong.”

He swallowed past the lump in his throat. “The vampire Quentin brought with him was a particularly vicious customer. In life, he was an insane serial killer that massacred his own family. It got loose, turning one of the Watchers and killing the other. The test should have been stopped there, but it wasn’t. The vampire kidnapped Buffy’s mother, and after confronting Quentin, I confessed my part in it. She was livid and rightfully so. She left me standing in the library, doubting if I would ever see her again. Whether she talked to me or not, however, I couldn’t let her face things alone. She killed the initial vampire, tricked him into ingesting Holy Water. But she forgot about the turned Watcher. I followed her and interfered, staking the Watcher. Buffy passed her test. I was sacked. ‘Caring too much for my charge’ was what they called it.” Giles’ eyes took a far away look as he remembered that night, the night Quentin fired him, and he hadn’t cared a whit, because Buffy forgave him. 

“I knew that pillock Travers was up to something when he threatened me to not interfere with Buffy’s new Watcher. Buffy was unorthodox, you see. She was a free thinker, not raised by the Council. She didn’t give a whit about men in tweed sitting safely in their offices thousands of miles away. She only cared about the lives with her. They hated her for that, and they hated me for not breaking her of that. So they picked the greenest, most eager-to-please, young man fresh out of the Academy they could and made sure he didn’t have a lick of field experience. That was who they sent to take over charge of my Slayer. Wesley was who they sent. I think they were hoping he would get both Buffy and Faith killed, and they could start over fresh with a more pliable Slayer. Neither girl gave him an ounce of respect, and most of Buffy’s friends were quite hostile toward him...well, except for Cordelia. I was hard on him myself,” Giles smiled wryly. “He didn’t exactly make it easy to be nice. Always in someone’s face, spouting orders or Council rhetoric. But the longer he was there, the more he realized how clueless the Council was – that when you’re on the front line, hardly anything is back and white. By the end, he knew he was going to be sacked, and he stood with us on graduation. Granted, he and I didn’t become close until after he left Sunnydale, but I’m sure that experience has left some lingering ghosts in him.”

Fred listened at first in amazement then in disgust, to Giles’ story. The Council had used them – Buffy, Rupert...and Wesley. Hadn’t even given a crap that the Slayer was a person and that Giles as her Watcher had to do...that to her. And Wesley... Oh, God, poor Wesley. Cordelia had often teased him about how green he had been, but Fred had had no idea just how green that meant. It could have gotten him killed as well as Buffy and Faith.

And the Council didn’t care. The Council didn’t fucking care. No wonder neither Rupert nor Wesley had very good things to say about them. No wonder Wesley never really wanted to talk about his time Sunnydale, instead always referring to what others had done. No wonder Rupert was worried about how Wesley might take it when they returned.

“How could they do that?” she asked, not really looking for an answer from him. She didn’t really want to hear the answer. It sickened her that the group charged with safe-guarding the world from evil was possibly even more evil in its twisted view on the disposability of people. “No wonder he—I...” She shook her head. What could she say? That she would be there? Of course, she would. She could say that until she was blue in the face. But she wouldn’t know what would happen, how Wesley would react, until they were there. “Whatever his reaction, we’ll be there for him. Hopefully, he’ll know that.”

Giles was about to respond but sensed the movement coming toward the kitchen. He motioned to the door, letting Fred know the man in question was approaching. Schooling his face, wiping it of all anger and resentment toward the Council, he smiled seeing a freshly showered Wes walk up behind Fred and wrap his arms around her midsection. 

“You get scrambled eggs this morning, Wesley. I’ll try and do something to them to make them a bit more palatable,” he promised, grabbing a bowl from the cupboard to start breaking eggs. 

Wesley just nodded, his attention focused mainly on the woman in his arms. He wasn’t foolish. He knew they had been discussing something about him before he entered. Part of him warmed at the idea that two such wonderful people worried about him. But another part of him was mildly annoyed that they felt they had to coddle him, to change the subject if he happened to walk in. Leaning down, he pressed his lips into the crook of her neck, smiling against the warm skin when she shivered. 

Fred leaned back into Wesley as he kissed her. God, this felt so nice. And he smelled so good – all deodorant soap and mint toothpaste and his shampoo. She bent her arm back to rest her hand on his upper arm, another shiver rushing through her. He was also quickly learning the kind of things that drew a reaction out of her. 

“You’re definitely looking stronger,” she told him he paused for a moment. “I made some tea if you’d like a cup.”

Wesley took the cup from her hands and smiled when he tasted it. Bless her. She knew just how he liked it. He spied the pad of paper on the counter, and his smile grew into a grin. Rupert had left a pad in just about every room in the house. He felt his heart warm at the sweet gesture. Setting the cup down for a moment, he grabbed the pad. 

Rupert has been teaching you, he wrote. And as usual, you are an exceptional student. He angled the pad for her to read before reclaiming his cup.

She blushed a bit as she poured a cup for Rupert, deciding that she’d get a cup of her own when she got back from her own shower. “And he’s an amazing teacher. Just like you.” She definitely felt like she had learned more from the two of them than she ever could have expected.

“Okay, I’m off to shower. Don’t start breakfast without me.” With that, she gave them each a kiss and hurried off to the bathroom after grabbing a fresh set of clothes from her bag.

“Not a chance,” Giles remarked, his green eyes meeting the blue of Wesley’s as she left the kitchen. “Why don’t you help me a bit.” He smirked when Wes looked toward the living room. “The research is organized, Wesley. It will keep until after breakfast. Come on, we have a lady to keep fed. I’ll add some cheese to your eggs,” he offered, trying to ‘spice up’ the blandness of Wesley’s diet. “Think you can dice the ham for the omelets?”

Wesley nodded, picking up the knife, and got to work. Giles pulled three plates out of the cupboard, deciding to make Wesley’s eggs first, so they would have time to cool. They worked in companionable silence for nearly ten minutes, Wesley adding little touches as his lover finished the cooking. He carried the plates out to the table, pouring orange juice for Rupert and Fred, and finished by bringing a cup of tea out for said lady. He added a milk for himself.

When Fred came back out of the bathroom, wearing a pair of shorts and top with her damp hair pulled back in a braid, she smiled at the sight of Wesley setting breakfast on the table. Between the three of them, they would manage to keep all the housework covered, she was sure. And who would want to eat out with the meals that Rupert could make?

“Smells great,” she said as she approached the table. “Anything I can help you with?”

Wesley frowned for a second as she stepped out of the bathroom. It had just occurred to him that they may need to go shopping for Fred soon, or she would have to resort to wearing his shirts. The frown disappeared immediately at that thought. Fred in his shirts, and nothing but his shirts, was damnably sexy. He forced himself to focus when he realized she was talking to him. Grabbing a pad from the other table, he quickly scribbled down his thought.

Don’t know. Have to ask the chef, he wrote before motioning toward the kitchen.

Fred smiled at him and nodded after reading his note, reaching over to run a hand through his short hair. “I really do like this look on you. It suits your face.” Feeling a bit impish, she leaned over and whispered in his ear, “And it looks really, really sexy.”

She gave him a kiss on his cheek in front of his earlobe before turning to go into the kitchen to ask Rupert if he needed help with anything else before they sat down to eat.

Wesley felt his breath catch in his chest as her lips brushed his skin. His eyes slid closed, trying to tamp down his body’s reaction to the thought he had been entertaining just moments before, coupled with the feel of her body so close. When he opened his eyes, she was already in the kitchen. He barely suppressed a shiver of delight. But the day for them was over, he reminded himself. After breakfast, it was time to work. 

“No, everything is done. Just turn around and head right back out,” Giles joked, picking up the plate with his and Fred’s omelets on them. He stopped in the doorway between the kitchen, smirking when he saw Wesley. “All right, luv, what’d you do to him,” he asked her knowingly. Setting the plate on the table, he took the seat to Fred’s left. He was about to serve the omelets onto their plates when he felt a hand on his arm. He looked up to find Wesley holding a notepad at him. He looked down, his smile growing evil when he read what it said.

If you’re going to wait until after breakfast to shower, at least put on a robe so that I can concentrate.

Fred’s eyebrows shot up her forehead at the look that passed between the two men and she leaned over in her seat in order to read what Wesley had passed to Rupert. When she saw it, she started giggling, her hand going up to cover her mouth.

“Apparently, whatever I did can’t compare to you in your boxers,” she told him. She knew that would probably earn her a few more glares, but she didn’t care. She was enjoying all this too much. Too soon, it would be time for them to get all serious and settle down to work and not think about anything else but their search, and she wanted this to last as long as possible.

Giles snorted, still wondering how two brilliant people could be so blind. He wiped a flat hand over his chest.

“Oh yes, my grey hair and middle-aged paunch. I can see how that would be distracting,” he commented in a self deprecating tone. He finished serving everything and looked up at Wesley. He was surprised to see the hunger radiating from those blue eyes and ducked his head blushing. “Bloody hell, stop looking at me like that,” he mumbled.

Standing, he held Wesley’s gaze momentarily, warm blush still coloring his cheeks. Reaching up a hand, he cupped the younger man’s cheek, rubbing his thumb across Wes’ cheekbone. “Your eyes should be a sex crime,” he muttered thickly, smiling slightly when Wesley blushed. “But fine, sit. Both of you go ahead and start while I fetch my robe.”

God, if they didn’t watch it, they would never get anything done ever again. Giles was right, though – Wesley had the most gorgeous eyes she had ever seen on a man. The way he used them in intimate situations was absolutely killer. They had been what had almost stopped her from leaving him when she had visited after the incident with Billy’s blood. But they had also been what finally convinced her that she had to go.

“Go on,” she said, pointing toward the room to indicate that Rupert should go. “And you...” She turned to Wesley and picked up his fork, which she handed to him. “You, eat.”

Wesley barely resisted the urge to glare at her. He looked down at the fork in his hand and knew she had a point. If they couldn’t reel in these feelings, they would never get anything done. It didn’t make it any less frustrating. Regretfully, he sat down in his chair, eating the eggs on his plate, but admittedly, not tasting them.

Once he started eating, she looked after Giles. “By the way, grey hair and a so-called paunch are very attractive when the guy in question wears it well.”

Giles laughed from the other room as he donned his blue robe. He started making his way out to the dining room once again, the amusement clear in his voice. “I wasn’t aware that one could wear middle aged well,” he smirked, returning to the table. “Now...you eat.” 

She knew she had asked for that in playing the mother card with Wesley. Although really, she didn’t want to be thinking that way because that brought up a whole load of issues they didn’t need. Things were likely to be complicated enough, no matter how much they loved being around each other.

Sitting back down in her chair, she picked up her own fork and cut off a piece of the omelet that Rupert had made. She hadn’t had an actual omelet in a long time – her attempts with eggs had usually ended up with broken-yolk fried eggs. “Really good,” she said with a smile before taking a sip of the tea that one of them – Wesley probably – had made up for her.

“It isn’t much. Just a Western Omelet. Little ham, peppers, onions, cheese and ouala,” Giles replied.

Breakfast went by fairly quickly, a little too quickly for Giles’ tastes. It wasn’t that he didn’t realize the seriousness of bringing young Connor home. It was that now instead of protecting Wesley from his guilt, the three of them would have to openly embrace it in order to get through this task. Exposing Wesley to this type of pain, on purpose, wasn’t something he was relishing.

“Just leave the dishes; I’ll take care of them after my shower,” he told them, getting up from the table. “Give Wesley a minute. He’ll be able to figure out how I arranged the piles,” he added to Fred alone.

She nodded as she got up from the table. She knew this was it – their time had ended, and now they were going to dive headfirst into the thing that had brought them all together. As Giles headed for the bathroom, she looked down at the dishes. She felt bad about leaving them there, but she didn’t want to leave Wesley alone either to face those books because she knew that he had been on edge about them since they had arrived. Deciding to let the dishes be as they were nowhere near as important as Wesley, she followed him into the living room and stood a few feet behind so she wouldn’t crowd him or make him feel like she was shadowing over his shoulder.

Wesley smiled to himself. Rupert was right. It didn’t take him long to figure out how things had been arranged. He knew the languages Rupert spoke and the ones he himself could cover. His stack was obviously the largest of the three. It looked like he guessed about Fred’s capabilities, and Wesley was surprised to see that the man was nearly spot on. He moved the smallest of the three stacks to the coffee table and placed his hand on top of it, extending the other toward Fred telling her that this was for her. He noted there were quite a few things within his own pile he had never seen before. He broke down his own pile even further into different dialects of the same language as well as the demonology lines within the resources. This was going to be a long process, but he was determined. He owed it to Connor to make this right. 

When Wesley waved her over, she walked over to the couch and looked down at the stack of books Rupert had put aside for her to cover. Even though it wasn’t as large as either his or Wesley’s, she knew it would take her just as long to get through it. She sat down and picked up one of the books. It was one of the first languages that Wesley had taught her to translate since it had similarities to Spanish, a language she had known since she was a child. She wondered if all the Watchers began their learning with that particular language or whether Rupert had just figured it out based on her background and his knowledge of Wesley. Or whether Wesley had told him – he had mentioned that they had been talking to each other for a while and she had been the subject of some of those discussions.

She looked through the others – she was fairly familiar with all the other ones, so she decided that she’d start with the one she knew best and take it from there.

Giles stepped from the bathroom in his worn jeans and a grey t-shirt. Since they would probably be spending the day inside, he stayed barefoot. He approached the couch quietly, observing the others looking through their assignments. He smirked, realizing that Wesley had broken the pile down even further....just as he suspected he would. Both of them seemed lost in their thoughts as he watched them closely.

“Everyone find everything all right?” he asked, finally announcing his presence. 

Wesley jumped, not having realized that anyone had approached. His heart was racing, and he had to force himself to calm down. It was only Rupert. Rupert wouldn’t hurt him for anything, he reminded himself. Grabbing the pad, he scribbled furiously.

Bloody hell, we need to put a bell on you.

Fred shook her head, trying not to laugh as she flipped open the book she had set on the top of the pile. Three people living together in what had once been home to only one? Definitely going to take getting used to – especially if any of them were concentrating.

“Maybe we could announce ourselves every time we enter a room. Or some kind of spell so we’d know where the others were.” She wrinkled her forehead at that. “Actually, that may not be a good idea. Would probably end up knowing way more than we wanted to.”

She held up the book. “You managed to get the languages I do know something about. Good guesses on those. ‘Less Wesley told you.”

“No, not exactly a guess. And Wesley didn’t mention it. We’ve been training for this nearly all our lives. Giving up our childhood’s to learn languages, hand-to-hand, weapons and so on and so forth. I know which languages he can handle, and I know which languages are easiest to learn. Also, given the fact that you’re from Texas, which has a high Catholic population with the Latinos....anything steeped in Spanish or Latin should be a piece of cake for you to pick up,” Giles explained. He picked up a thick text from his own pile and sat on the other side of Fred, putting her in the middle, between them.

She glanced back and forth between Wesley and Giles before she settled back against the couch and began studying the text in her lap after putting her glasses on. It didn’t take her long to be totally absorbed in what she was doing, reading through and trying to find any reference she could to Quor’Toth or anything about a dark world.

The first book didn’t have anything, so she moved to the second. A few times, she got up to get them some fresh tea or something soft for the three of them to snack on. Sometimes, they shared something they found, trying to decide whether it was relevant, but nothing seemed to be yet. The closest Fred herself came was finding a reference to Quor’Toth that pretty much just translated as “Don’t go there.” They didn’t seem to want to say anything else about it, it was that bad. And any place that scared demons? Scared her as well.

When she finished the second book, she looked up and rubbed her eyes, checking the time on the clock across the room. “Good grief, we’ve already been at this all day. It’s nine o’clock!”

Giles arched an eyebrow in amusement at her declared ‘Good Grief’ but had to ultimately agree with the sentiment. It was time to stop for the night. He had to get something solid into Wesley other than tea and soggy biscuits. He knew this was the first test. Looking across to Wesley, the younger man would not give up the book willingly. Meeting Fred’s gaze, he smiled wryly before leaning across her. 

“Wesley?” He chuckled when he got no answer. His smile turned feral before he latched his lips onto Wesley’s jaw. “Wesley.”

This time the other man’s name was said in a sing-songed voice. Inwardly, he cursed. He could tell by the change in Wes’ breathing that the man wasn’t as unaffected as he was pretending to be. But the cheeky little bugger was throwing down the gauntlet by not reacting. Well, he would show him. Allowing his lips to trail down his jaw, Giles made sure his mouth was right next to the younger man’s ear. Drawing the lobe into his mouth, he nipped it with his teeth, chuckling at the answering gasp.

“Do I have your attention now?” 

Fred leaned back into the couch and watched for a moment as Giles trailed his lips along Wesley’s jaw. So pretty, her two guys. So pretty, especially with Giles leaning across her and—oh, crap, the book. She could see that Wesley was now definitely caught up in what Giles was doing, so she reached underneath and took hold of the book he was holding, pulling it out of his hands with a couple of swift tugs. She grinned, knowing that he would probably realize what she had done...sooner or later. Depending how distracted Giles managed to keep him.

Giles could feel the moment Wesley capitulated to his taunting. He felt the book slide along his chest, knowing Fred had disarmed their lover. Turning his head, he looked into deep blue eyes, and was lost. He claimed Wesley’s lips, relishing in his taste, the taste of tea and biscuits, and something uniquely to the other man. He braced one hand on the couch, sliding his weight forward, to allow Fred to slide out from underneath him. He smirked when he felt Wesley shift his hips to rub against his brace arm. He only pulled back when oxygen became an issue. 

“So wanton, so beautiful,” he rasped, loving the way Wesley responded to his touch.

Fred slid to the floor with the book and set it on the pile of books on the coffee table before moving it away so Wesley couldn’t try to make a grab for them whenever they came up for air. Although... Turning around, she looked back up at Rupert and Wesley, who didn’t look like they wouldn’t be separating from each other any time soon.

Giles was a little unprepared for the intensity when Wesley threaded his long fingers in his hair and reinitiated their carnal kiss. He lowered himself slowly, allowing the weight of his upper body to rest over Wes’ lap. The kiss was demanding, as if the younger man was trying to get at his soul. He wasn’t sure what Wesley seemed to be searching for, so he willingly opened himself up, dropping all walls and barriers to him. When they finally broke apart, Giles gasped when it occurred to him. Scrambling up to his knees, he held Wesley’s face in his hands as if it were the greatest treasure itself. 

“He’s not here. You’ll find nothing in me Wesley but acceptance, and love,” he promised, serious green meeting vulnerable blue. “No judging. You are mine, and I will kill anyone that tries to come between us.”

“Same here,” Fred said softly from where she was still sitting on the floor. “We won’t let anyone hurt you again as long as we can help it – not Angel, not your father, not the Council, not anyone.” She gave Wesley’s knee a squeeze and took his hand to kiss it, then stood up, knowing that the rest of this moment was for him and Rupert. He had to see that each of them where there for him – together and on their own. “I’ll be in the kitchen starting some dinner and making some more tea if you two need me.”

Leaning over, she gave both of them a kiss before heading into the kitchen.

Giles held Wesley’s gaze, knowing instinctively that the younger man had been holding back on him. He didn’t blame him. Knowing Roger Wyndam-Pryce like he did, it explained a lot. He wouldn’t push, but he would let Wesley see beyond his walls, he needed to see the truth. Once Fred left the room, he ducked his head, a small smile crossing his lips. He understood what she was doing. She was giving Wes and him a chance to get past this first hurdle, alone. Bless her. Lifting his head, he watched Wesley’s face as he trailed his hand up the younger man’s thigh, his hand stopping over the bulge in his jeans. 

Wesley gasped, feeling the long fingers tracing him through the denim. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to make that final concession to Rupert, he did. But the fear was almost stifling. He’d only ever felt like this for another man once. And the man was bought off by his father, but not before he tasted the ridicule of that purchased life. Deep down, he knew Rupert wasn’t like that. But that fear, it was ingrained. He felt the trembling work its way up his spine when Giles slid to the floor in between his spread legs. God, was this really going to happen? Nimble fingers lowered his zipper and undid the clasp. Giles held Wesley’s gaze, his heart breaking for the fear he saw there. Reaching into his boxers, he grasped the hard flesh, exposing it to the air. 

“I’m not them, Wesley. I will never break your heart or your spirit,” he promised, before lowering his head and drawing the younger man’s penis into his mouth. It had been a long time since he had been with a man like this, but gauging from the way Wes’ fingers threaded through his hair, he hadn’t lost his touch. Closing his eyes, he called on all of his experience to bring this amazing man as much pleasure as he could. 

 

*****

In the kitchen, Fred put some fresh water in the kettle and set it on the stove to heat, then leaned against the counter, closing her eyes as she remembered what Giles had told her earlier in connection with what he had told Wesley out there. He was so scared that he was going to lose them, and she was certain that it was because of his father. What had he done? Controlled his friends, sent away the ones that he didn’t approve of? Tell him that he wasn’t good enough for friends? All sorts of different possibilities rolled through her mind, and each one of them sickened her.

Well, she knew one thing. If Roger Wyndam-Pryce ever appeared in their lives and tried to chase her or Rupert out, she definitely wasn’t going to let him. She wasn’t about to let anyone take away the best thing that had happened to her since she had returned from Pylea, the men that made her feel like she was accepted for herself – even if she was crazy, geeky, nerdy and occasionally silly. She wasn’t some kind of prize to be displayed with them; she was their equal, and she loved them for that. So she was damned if anyone would ever chase them away from their sides.

As she pulled a few things out of the refrigerator for dinner – she was nothing like Rupert, but she wasn’t going to feed them tree bark either – she heard a strangled gasp come the living room. Setting the food down, she went over to the kitchen door and opened it to peek out. Wesley was on the couch, his head resting back so he was almost looking to the ceiling, and she could see Rupert between his legs. It wasn’t hard to figure out what they were doing, and it made her heart pound and a bit of that familiar ache deep down in her as she watched them for a few moments, a loving smile spreading across her face. Then she closed the door again and paused with her forehead resting against the frame before she turned back to the fruit she had taken out for dinner.

 

*****

Wesley was lost in the fire thundering through his veins. One hand gripped the arm of the couch tightly while the other was wrapped in Rupert’s hair. He could feel the unspoken demand in the older man’s action. Giles wanted him to drop that last wall, to let him in. Could he do it? Could he trust Rupert with his heart, to keep it safe? Wes gasped, he was so close. Lifting his head, he looked down at the head moving on him, unable to stop the movement of his hips, sending him deeper into Rupert’s throat. He felt Giles hum, the vibrations sending him hurtling over the edge. He threw his head back, barely biting back the cry as he emptied himself into his lover’s mouth. He felt his body jerking when each tremor passed through him, and still Rupert refused to release him. It wasn’t until he slid bonelessly against the back of the couch that he felt the cool air on his now flaccid penis. He didn’t even lift his head as Rupert crawled up his body. 

“You don’t have to say anything you’re not ready for, Wesley.” Giles told him, his face hovering just over Wesley’s. “Just know that I’m not going anywhere. I’m falling in love with you. Even if this is just a physical attraction for you, for me, that’s enough.”

He moved too get up and stopped when he felt the hand clamp around his wrist. He looked back, seeing Wesley struggling with what he wanted. But he reminded himself this was up to Wes, so he couldn’t push. 

Grabbing the pad on the couch, Wes looked down at it, embarrassed to watch his lover’s reaction to what he wrote.

NOT just physical. He underlined ‘not’ several times before turning the pad toward Giles. He felt Rupert sit down on the couch next to him. Giles placed a finger under his chin, raising Wesley’s eyes to meet his. 

“Is this your way of saying you care about me?” he gently suggested and felt the shiver run through Wes. Shaking fingers took the pad back from him.

Not care. Wes took a deep breath and looked at Giles sheepishly. Scared, he wrote, trying to steel his courage. Not care....love. Have for some time, he confessed, closing his eyes, waiting for Rupert’s response. 

“Wesley, look at me.” He smiled when the younger man shook his head. “Look at me, Wes.” When those beautiful blue eyes met his, he pressed his forehead to his. “I know how difficult that was for you. I promise no one will ever make me leave you. Or turn against you. You, me and Fred, as far as I’m concerned, this is for life. I am too bloody old for what Anya refers to as ‘orgasm friends’.”

Fred finished cutting up some fruit into a fruit salad – Rupert had thought that Wesley would be able to handle it after a few days, so she figured on giving it a try. He needed some of the nutrients, especially potassium, so she made sure there was a good bit of banana, especially since it was so soft. She had also put some more water on to boil and dumped enough pasta for the three of them in the pot while she heated some sauce on low in another pan.

The tea was ready, so she placed everything on the tray and then opened the door to peek out, not wanting to interrupt them – they needed their time. It was something they would all have to learn as part of a threesome. She caught the last part of Giles’ words to Wesley and felt a lump form in her throat. For life. She liked the sound of that.

Giles turned, when he sensed Fred enter the room. He wanted to give Wesley a chance to collect himself, to not feel so exposed, both emotionally and physically. He gave her a gentle smile. 

“So what’s for dinner?” he asked, thankful that she had given them this time alone. She was far more understanding than anyone of her years. And it seemed that she had acquired a gift of seeing what a person needed. Getting up, he took the tray from her, immediately beginning to pour their teas once he set it down on the table. 

Wesley had felt his heart swell at Rupert’s words. He nearly felt like taking his own pulse. He had managed to drop that final wall, and he was still alive, still happy. With a broad smile and a confidence he hadn’t previously possessed, he tucked himself back into his jeans before standing to greet Fred. He hugged her tightly and then moved into the bathroom. Poking his head out of the door, he held up one finger, letting them know he’d be right out.

Fred smiled as she watched Wesley disappear into the bathroom and then turned back to Rupert. “Fruit salad and spaghetti. Figured that some potassium would do him good. As well as the time alone with you.” She sat down on the couch arm and reached out to touch his arm gently. “He looks unbelievably happy for that. And I—I heard what you said...about us—the three of us, I mean. I...I don’t think I was ever so happy to hear something in my entire life.”

“I meant it,” Giles replied. “I’m too old for anything casual. Besides, it’s not what I need in my life right now. But something permanent, something forever...worth fighting for, that’s different.” He placed his hand over hers on his arm. Looking toward the bathroom door, he frowned. “Roger really did a number on him. This mess with Angel hasn’t helped. I don’t think Wesley has had a relationship with a man that hasn’t backfired on him. He’s terrified I’ll do what the others have.” He shook his head. “It’s going to take time, but he’ll see that’s not the case....eventually.”

She nodded. It seemed a big step had already been taken in the last hour if Wesley’s demeanor when he left the room was anything to go by. But Rupert was right – nothing was healed that quickly. She knew that as well as anyone. The emotional scars from Pylea, from being lost, had taken a long time for her to even face, much less get over, and she still had times where she had to deal with them.

“I know I said it earlier, but I really hope I never meet his father. I’d be tempted to make a special contraption just to take him out.”

“They will have to face each other at some point if Wesley ever hopes to get out from under his father’s thumb. He still sees Roger as some kind of ‘demon’ to appease. It’ll be up to you and I, as the ones that love him, to show his that his father is just a pathetic little man and a bully,” he pointed out. “As much as I’d like to crack the wanker’s skull myself, this is Wesley’s fight. We can only be there for him when he faces it.”

As he sighed, she shook her head, knowing he was right, and then looked toward the kitchen. “Oh, God, the sauce!” She jumped up and ran to make sure that it hadn’t been splattered over the walls while they were talking.

His eyes lit up with humor when she ran into the kitchen. “I’ll get Wes, and we’ll be there in a moment,” he called out to her. 

“Okay!” she yelled back while turning the burner off and moving the pan. The sauce actually hadn’t splattered too badly. Just a few spots here and there on the tile behind the stove and on the counter, and that could be easily taken care of with a damp washcloth. She checked the noodles to find that they were done and drained them, then took out three plates and divvied up what she had made between them with the fruit salad in side bowls. After getting out parmesan cheese and butter for whoever wanted it, everything was ready.

Giles knocked on the door of the bathroom, calling out to his lover. He frowned when he got no answer. Wesley shouldn’t be in there alone, and he was worried that he might be the cause of the younger man’s withdrawal. Hesitantly, he made his way into the kitchen.

“I need you to check on Wes. I think he may be hiding,” he suggested. “I’ll take over here, but I have to know he’s okay,” he added, unable to keep the worry out of his tone.

Nodding, she immediately put down the parmesan she was holding. “Everything’s ready. It just needs to go out on the table. I’ll go check on him.” Heading back in the living room, she crossed over to the bathroom and stood outside for a moment, trying to see if she could hear anything out of the ordinary. Then she knocked on the door. “Wesley? Wesley, are you okay? We’re getting a bit worried, so either open the door or I’m going to come in, okay?”

Wesley’s head shot up as he looked toward the door. He wiped the tears from his eyes, his steps heavy as he turned the handle, but made no move to open the door. He felt bad for not allowing Rupert in, but he had no idea how to explain to the man what was going on inside of him. It was disconcerting to say the least, to know that the other man could see into his heart so easily. Part of him was so terrified that this would all blow up in his face, and he didn’t want to lose that friendship.

“Wesley?” There was no answer although she could hear moving inside, and then the door handle turned. But the door stayed shut. So taking a deep breath, she slowly pushed it open and peeked inside to see him standing there. “Hey, there,” she said softly, sliding in a little and putting her hand up to his face. She could see that something wasn’t quite right even though he had been in fairly high spirits when he had first come in here. “What’s wrong? You still worried about all this? About Rupert?”

“Nothing wrong,” he whispered although it came out raspy. “Told me everything I needed. Love you and him. Scared.” He swallowed thickly, tamping down on the pain that shot across his throat. He drew her into his arms and lowered his head against her neck. He held her tightly, with desperation, trying to draw solace from her presence.

She wrapped her arms around him, holding him against herself and never wanting to let him go. “We love you too,” she told him. “That’s why we’re here. You don’t have to be scared of that.” Reaching up, she ran her hand through his hair and closed her eyes, kissing the side of his head the best she could in their current position. “I love you, Wesley.”

Wesley sighed deeply, her words and her presence reinforcing him. He felt the shame flood his system. He was behaving like a prat. He clearly had two wonderful people that loved him, and here he was questioning them. He pulled his head back, pressing his forehead to hers.

‘I’m sorry,’ he mouthed, apologizing for losing it. Teary blue eyes held her chocolate brown, and he felt as if he was looking into her soul. He felt a warm feeling envelop him like a blanket and offered her a sheepish smile. 

“Don’t be sorry,” she said, shaking her head and holding his gaze with hers. “You don’t have to apologize to us for anything you’re ever feeling. Just don’t hide from us, okay?” Reaching up, she cupped his face in her hands and leaned over to give him a long kiss. “And watch yourself with that voice. It still sounds injured, and we don’t want you doing anything to lose it permanently. We both know how you feel, so we can wait a while longer – it’ll be worth it.”

He nodded, unwilling to completely relinquish his hold. He slid one hand down her arm and clasped her hand in his, entwining their fingers. He allowed himself to be led from the bathroom, ducking his head in regret as he saw the worried look in Rupert’s eyes. He hadn’t meant to worry him. 

“Okay then?” Giles asked, taking care not to push. At Wes’ hesitant nod, he gave a sigh of relief. He gave Fred a grateful look, holding her chair out for her while she sat. Once she did, he leaned over so that his mouth was right by her ear. “Thank you,” he whispered before backing away and taking his own seat.

She looked over at him and nodded at him with a smile. He was worried about Wesley, but it wasn’t because of what Giles had done, from what Wesley had said. He was happy. What Giles had done had made him happy. The thing was she wasn’t sure if it was really her place to say that. Wesley needed to tell Rupert, and she hoped he did.

“I figured you might be able to handle some fruit now,” she told Wesley. “Especially since you were able to have the banana in your split yesterday. And I don’t think I burned the sauce or the noodles, so you’re not taking your lives into your hands with this meal.”

Wesley smirked when she brought up the banana split. He wanted to point out that it had ice cream, so it was different. Spearing a piece of melon on his fork, he held Fred’s gaze and stuck his tongue out at her before popping the fruit in his mouth. He then smiled at the sound of Giles’ laugh. Raising his eyes, he saw him looking at him. Allowing his emotions to show on his face, he smiled gently, wanting the other man to know how much he meant to him. 

Giles nodded in response, his green eyes incredibly gentle. He had been so worried that he had pushed Wesley too far. But now, he knew different. He managed what he was trying to accomplish – to reassure, to reinforce, to show love. 

“I think it’s fine, Fred. Definitely…” He saw the corners of Wesley’s mouth turn up in a devilish smile and found himself answering it. “Edible,” he finished, his tone towards her teasing. 

“I’m so glad to hear that,” she said, her own tone dry as she tried to decide whether to toss her napkin at Wesley or at Giles. As that would leave her without one and a dinner with potentially messy consequences, she decided against it, however. “I could hide the ice cream that’s in the freezer, you know, so watch it.”

She couldn’t help but grinning at the looks on both of their faces at that. Wesley definitely seemed in better spirits again, and Giles was too. She was relieved for that. She didn’t want either one of them hurting.

Giles laughed at her threat. He knew she was only teasing but said nothing. The banter between them was too new. And he was enjoying it immensely.

“Now, Fred. Wesley is still healing. He needs the ice cream.” His green eyes darkened slightly as he looked at her. “Besides, there are much more pleasant uses for ice cream when one gets creative,” he stated, looking her up and down hungrily.

She stared at him, knowing exactly what he had in mind, and could feel everything from her head to her toes tingling at the thought. “Sitting out” with these two ever was going to be damn near impossible, she could tell. And she could come up with a few creative uses herself.

“Then I guess we should hurry up and eat our dinner then, shouldn’t we?” she said, glancing from one of her guys to the other.

Wesley and Giles’ eyes met over the table, a slow grin spreading across both of their faces. Both of them seemed to agree as they started digging into their meals. Giles’ concerned gaze shot up, however, when the younger man started coughing.

“Easy, Wesley. You’re still healing,” he chided gently, getting up from the table and walking around to Wesley’s side, where he picked up his water glass. Kneeling down, he helped the struggling man sip the water until the urge to cough had passed. “Easy. That a boy,” he said softly, his hand resting soothingly on his back.

Fred was next to him on the other side, peering up at him in worry. “Are you okay?” she asked as he seemed to settle down. She locked eyes with him and raised her eyebrows in concern. 

“When I said we should hurry up, I didn’t mean that we should inhale it,” she told him gently. “Doesn’t help digestion or healing throats, you know.”

Giles smiled warmly, his hand going to the back of Wesley’s head. He really did like this new look on him. Running his fingers through the closely cropped hair, he stood.

“Ahhh, I wouldn’t worry about him. He’s tougher than he looks,” he teased, trying to lessen not only his own fears but also Fred’s. Wesley’s face was still flushed, but he nodded, still stealing sips of water.

Fred nodded as she squeezed his hand and moved back to her seat. “You’ve definitely proved that with everything that’s happened,” she remarked. It was something she was very thankful for – that despite everything that had happened to him, both before and after she met him, he had managed to come through it all. So many people would have lost themselves or died, but Wesley was still there.

Giles’ eyes were sad as he looked over at Wesley. He wondered if Fred really understood how much their lover had survived. Being blown up, shot, and now having his throat cut. He had spent a fair amount of time in the hospital these last three years.

Picking up her fork, Fred twirled a bit of spaghetti around it...and then managed to drip some of the sauce on her top. Shaking her head, she looked down at herself. “You know, I always manage to do this when I’m trying not to get stuff all over me.”

Giles forced himself to smile when at that. “Well, try not to feel so bad. This sauce isn’t exactly top of the line. It’s why I abhor the canned stuff and prefer to make my own. But we needed the watery version for him.” He shook his head. “It does make one feel like they need a bib, doesn’t it?”

“At the very least,” she agreed, shaking her head ruefully. Giles was right – this wasn’t the greatest sauce she had ever seen, but she wasn’t going to complain for Wesley’s sake. She looked over at him to make sure that he really was okay now, giving him a smile. “We should probably finish up, then I’ll change out of this top before the sauce sets in and get the dishes taken care of.”

They ate for a bit longer though none of them obviously really liked the sauce. Finally, Fred put her fork down and looked at the others.

“Should we just skip directly to dessert?”

“There should be some Neapolitan in there for Wesley. We can eat the mint chocolate chip.” Giles grinned when he saw Wes practically pouting. Poor lad, having to endure the plain…but they couldn’t take the chance of one of the chips scratching Wesley’s throat. “You cooked, Fred, so I can handle the dishes. Just let me get everyone their ice cream first.” Standing, he picked up his plate and reached over for the leftover pasta. Perhaps they could reheat it later.

“Thanks,” she told him. “I’m going to go change out of this shirt while you do that.”

She got up from the table and hurried over to her bag to grab a clean top, making a face as she looked through – she really was going to need some more clothing sooner or later. She hadn’t realized how much of the stuff she had had at the Hyperion had actually been Cordelia’s. Glancing over, she wondered what Wesley and Rupert would make of being dragged around on a shopping trip. At least they could keep each other entertained... Shaking her head, she refused to let her mind wonder to the possibilities inherent in dressing room stalls. That they hadn’t been caught in the theater bathroom had been luck. A dressing room, they’d have no chance.

She pulled out a top and went into the bathroom to change, running some cold water over the one she had just taken off, pausing as she did. It reminded her for a moment too much of Wesley’s blood and the other blouse she had been forced to get rid of. God, they had come so close to losing him.

Well, they wouldn’t again.

She finished wringing out the top and flipped it over the shower rod to dry – she would deal with the remaining stain later. She found her mind again returning to what Giles had mentioned earlier about “creativity” and ice cream.

Giles, meanwhile, had taken all of their plates in the kitchen, where he ran some water into one of the sinks, placing the pan and dishes in to soak. He then had quickly dished out three bowls of ice cream, placing spoons in each bowl. Taking them out to the table, he had placed one in front of everyone’s spots. He was about to call out for Fred to hurry up when someone knocked at the door. Looking at Wes in question, he frowned when the other man shrugged. Clearly they weren’t expecting anyone, which meant possible trouble. 

“Stay here,” he ordered and hurried to his bag to grab a dagger. Tucking it in the waistband of his jeans, he scowled when he looked out the peephole. “Wesley? There’s a demon at your door.”

His body was coiled to strike, to dispatch the potential threat to his lovers. Opening the door, his green eyes flashed dangerously.

“Hello. Can I help you?” he asked, standing fully in the doorway to bar the demon from entering.

Lorne had been expecting either Fred or Wesley to answer the door now that he finally managed to get away from the Hyperion, so the sight of Tall, Greying and Obviously Protective threw him for a moment. Unconsciously, he took a few steps back, not needing him to sing to see that this man was ready to take his head off for a second time – and probably permanently – if he made a wrong move. A hand went to his butt to cover his now rapidly beating heart.

Then he remembered what Fred had told him when they had spoken before she had left for good, and praying to his gods and every human god he could think of, he slowly said, “Wesley’s friend Giles, I presume? Wesley, Fred, if you’re in there, can you please call off your bodyguard? For the love of Pythia, before my heart pounds right out of my bottom?”

Giles blinked when the demon said his name, not exactly sure how to proceed. 

Fred had just come out to the dining table to see that Giles had brought out the ice cream when she heard the familiar voice at the door, and both she and Wesley turned at the same time. As he was just getting up, she was around across the room, slipping past Giles to throw her arms around their friend.

“Lorne!”

Giles was about to say something else to the demon when she blew right by him to hug…apparently Lorne. Looking back at Wes, he frowned, seeing the guilty look in the other man’s eyes, and noticed how he was standing back away from them.

“Come in,” he said, stepping out of the doorway and moving to stand behind Wes. He reached up and gave the younger man’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze, letting him know he was there for him, should he be needed.

“Oh, buttercup, you don’t know how good it is to see you. You wouldn’t believe what’s been going on back at the hotel,” Lorne told Fred as they walked into the flat. He glanced over at Giles, giving him a nervous smile while still holding on to her. It was obvious that the guy was just worried, but it didn’t put him any more at ease.

Then he looked at Wesley standing there – and again, he didn’t need to hear him singing to see what he was feeling. Unwrapping his arm from around Fred, he walked over to him, suppressing the urge to wince when he saw the bandage on his neck. He wasn’t sure how to do this. Whether to hug him or just say it or... Finally, he reached up to rest his hand on his friend’s shoulder, his voice taking on a serious tone and losing all trace of his usual flippancy for a moment. “I’m not angry, Wes, and I don’t blame you for what you did. We both reacted in the moment, and I understand. Boy, do I ever understand. I’m just glad and thankful that you’re still alive.”

Wesley couldn’t lift his eyes to meet his friends. The guilt weighing heavy on him. It wasn’t until Lorne put a hand on his shoulder that he forced himself to look. He felt himself tearing up at the green demon’s words. Could it be? That his friend had forgiven him? He had never wanted to hurt Lorne. Of all of them, he had known him the longest. He had been a wonderful friend, and in a moment of panic, he tried to smash the man’s head in. He felt all the guilt and grief over the whole debacle wrap around his heart like a vice and constrict as the tears came down his cheeks. 

Giles had to fight the urge to go to his lover, to comfort him. But his instincts told him that Wesley needed comfort from Lorne more than he did from him and Fred. Moving around, he stood next to her, his arm draped across her waist, just letting this scene happen. It needed to for Wesley to have a chance of healing.

“Oh, hey, don’t cry,” Lorne told him. “Because if you cry, I’m going to end up crying too, and then I bet you anything that Freddles over there will cry as well, and that won’t do, will it? Oh, hellions and skeletons, screw it.” Without a second thought, he hugged his friend, feeling the tears in his own eyes. “I know you didn’t mean it. I know you just wanted to do the right thing. I wish I hadn’t reacted the way I had. We’re all to blame, you know, not just you. So don’t you dare take all of this on yourself.”

Fred felt herself choke up as she watched them, feeling Giles’ hand tighten on her waist, telling her without words to stay put, no matter how badly she wanted to go over to them. He was right. Instead, she rested her head against his chest and watched, hoping that this would help Wesley before they had to face what awaited them once they uncovered what was hidden somewhere in those stacks of books.

Giles watched as the two friends embraced tightly. Lorne’s grip seemed almost comforting, while Wesley’s was clearly desperate. He grit his teeth, forcing himself to stay back. Instead, he raised one hand, stroking Fred’s hair, trying to soothe the same desire in her – to comfort their lover. 

“He’s right, Wes. No martyrs here. We have too much work to do. I know you feel guilty, but as I told you when I got here, this isn’t your fault. Everyone failed each other from what I can tell. This is all fixable. I swear to you, things won’t seem so bleak,” Giles promised, smiling when Wes gave him a hesitant nod. “Good man. Now why don’t we get some ice cream in you before it melts. I’m sure the cold will feel good on your throat.”

Fred immediately hurried over to the table and got Wesley’s bowl, which she took over to him. “Here you go,” she told him, handing it over once he and Lorne stepped back from each other. She then looked over at their demon friend. “Would you like some? We have plenty and pretty much any flavor you could want.”

“My lactose intolerance will hate me for it, but go ahead. I’ll have Neapolitan as well.”

Fred nodded and hurried into the kitchen to get him a bowl while Lorne stood where he was, looking back and forth from Wesley to Giles.

“I...uh...didn’t mean to startle you with my sudden appearance,” he finally said. “It’s just...things have been hell over at the hotel, and I wanted to get away from that, come see the two people I care about most and see how you were doing. I’m sorry I didn’t come earlier, but I didn’t know if...” He shrugged, trying to decide how to say it. “I didn’t know how welcome I’d be here.”

Giles nodded, feeling his anger well up. He knew this demon meant a lot to his lovers, so he tried to tamp down on the aggravation.

“Hell at the hotel? That’s the second time you’ve mentioned it. What? Now that that git doesn’t have anyone to point and tell him what to kill, he’s at a loss? I meant what I said, they come for Wesley again and I’ll do more than break Charlie’s arm. They made their beds, they can lie in them,” he snapped.

Lorne fixed his gaze on Giles at that. “You been taking care of them then?”  
His temper really flared when Lorne dared to question whether he was taking care of Wesley and Fred. “I don’t know, you tell me. Since I’ve arrived I’ve had to pull Angel off of Wesley in the hospital. Seems our hero has graduated to suffocating helpless individuals in their bed. That little present was courtesy of Charles Gunn. We had a visit from Lilah Morgan, and she left here not only with her ego smarting but also minus one Niazian Scroll. So you tell me, do I pass inspection?” He was being short and knew he was being unfair to Wesley and Fred’s friend. He turned his head when he felt the fingers running through the hair at his temple with the attempt to soothe. He saw Wesley’s concerned gaze and smiled ruefully. “I know, luv. I’m sorry. I’m just worried about both of you. I know he’s your friend, but I....I suppose I’m just edgy, having a hard time being welcoming to anyone originating from the Hyperion.”

“And you have every right to be,” Lorne said. “What Angel and Gunn did – I don’t condone it and I certainly haven’t spared any words letting them know exactly how I feel about that. I also told them that they’d better stay away too. The only reason I’m still there is because of Cordy. She’s getting more demon mojo every day, and I didn’t want to run out on her when no one else in that forsaken place seems to be noticing what it’s doing to her, not even Groo.”

Taking a deep breath, he shook his head. “I’m glad that someone has been here to take care of Wesley and Fred. Someone should be because gods knows they were the ones taking care of us. You’ll have to excuse my questioning, though. I question, it’s what I do. ‘Course, we could make it real easy, and you could sing for me, and I’d know for sure and then you can rip on me all you want for not believing you.”

Wesley nodded, moving his thumb across the other man’s cheek before stepping away. He set his bowl down and picked up a pad. Scribbling one note down for Giles, he flipped the page and wrote another for Lorne. 

He’s Anagogic. When you sing, he can read into your soul. He wants to make certain you have nothing to hide, Giles’ note said. 

“I’m not certain he wants to see into my soul. Even you only know a portion of the things I’ve done. And you know more than anyone else,” Giles grumped. He sighed when Wes stepped forward and kissed him softly, his unspoken plea understood. For Wesley, he would consent to this.

Wes then passed the note for Lorne over to him. You’re in for a treat. Rupert can sing.

Giles cleared his throat, before starting to sing.

“If I leave here tomorrow  
Will you still remember me  
I’m as free as a bird now....”

He continued singing, waiting until the green demon told him to stop.

Fred came out of the kitchen, holding Lorne’s bowl of ice cream and stopped at the sight of Rupert singing. Oh, he hadn’t... She glanced over at Lorne, who was watching him with wide eyes. Slowly, his hand came up to cover his mouth as though he couldn’t believe what he was reading in Giles’ aura or however he did what he did. He almost seemed...entranced by whatever he was seeing too. Hurrying over, she touched a hand to Lorne’s shoulder, waking him up and causing him to shake his head.

“Oh...yes, you can stop now,” he said, a bit floored by what he had just seen...and heard. “First off, why don’t I have Caritas anymore and why do I not have you signed to sing there? Because your voice? Best I’ve heard in ages. Secondly, I am so glad you’re on our side because damn.” He had never seen some of the stuff he had just read in anyone else before, including what he had done to that boy—no, not just a boy, but also the Hell God who almost ended the world. But that was why it also awed him. Because he was pretty damn certain he couldn’t do anything like that, no matter who he was trying to protect. “Tough choices you’ve had to make, muffin. I’m sorry I questioned you and your motives. I just had to make sure. For the two of them. I know that’s something you understand.”

Looking over at Wesley then Fred, he raised one of his brow. “I thought I had seen it all, but a movie theater bathroom?”

Giles glared at Lorne, still pissed. He stepped forward in two strides and gripped the demon’s arm hard. 

“You ever again question my motives regarding Wesley and Fred or utter a peep about what you saw to anyone, I will personally take great pleasure in turning you inside out. And gauging from that pasty look on your face, you know I’m capable of backing that threat up. I don’t have anagogic abilities, so all I can do is trust the judgment of the people I love. Thank your lucky stars, or you would already be dead.” He stepped back from him and stormed off to the bedroom, slamming the door behind him. He needed a moment to cool off.

Lorne watched him go, rubbing his arm, knowing full well that what he had said was very true. “I’m—I’m sorry, guys. I didn’t mean to...” He sighed, looking over at them. “I just wanted to make sure you two really were okay – that at least the two people I care about the most are all right after all the crap I’ve been seeing over at the hotel. I guess I overreacted a bit, but I—oh, fiddlesticks. You know I’d never utter a word about anything I’ve ever seen.”

“I know,” Fred said, patting him on the shoulder and handing him the ice cream bowl. “But he’s been wonderful, and if you saw—well, you realize how we feel about him.”

“I know.” Lorne felt like a right idiot now, even though he hadn’t known for certain. He should have trusted Wesley and Fred. Really should have. Because some of those things he saw...

She looked over at Wesley and tilted her head toward the door. “I’m going to go check on him.” Hurrying over to the bedroom, she knocked on the door. “Rupert? Can I come in?”

Giles was pacing in the bedroom, fists clenched, trying to force his temper back down. He had been accused of a lot of things in his life, but neglecting those he loved was never one of them. He wanted to hit something—well, he wanted to hit Lorne, but that probably wasn’t a good idea. Fred seemed genuinely fond of him. So for her and for Wesley, he would swallow his anger. He looked up when he heard a knock at the door, and sighed. Fred. Without answering, he just opened the door a hair and resumed his pacing.

She pushed the door opened slightly and entered the room, watching him for a moment as he paced back and forth. She didn’t want the man she had come to love so much angry at one of the only true friends she had left here in L.A. after everything that had happened.

“He—he didn’t mean to push so hard. He said he overreacted because he was so worried about us, which is something you two have in common, you know.” She sighed and leaned up against the wall, wanting to go over and put her arms around him but not knowing if he would want that at the moment. “He would have reacted the same way no matter who it was. And he’d never say anything about what he saw to anyone. That’s not the way he is.”

“I don’t give a damn how he is,” Giles growled, stopping to face her for a moment. “The only reason I didn’t cut his head off at the door was because of you and Wesley. I may not know him from Adam, but I trust the two of you. I would lay down my life for both of you, and I realize, no matter what I do, there are some things that I just have to have faith in. I have done a lot of horrible things in my life, but I will not take being questioned regarding those I love.” Part of him was still questioning his own ability when he had failed Buffy so drastically, but it was up to him to recognize that inability in himself, not some demon who had just landed on their doorstep.

“I know that,” she told him, stepping forward and putting her hands to his cheeks, looking into his eyes. “Wesley knows that. Lorne hasn’t been around the last few days. He didn’t know what we’ve been through together. He didn’t know how much both Wesley and I love you. He does now.” She leaned up and kissed him gently on the lips.

Giles sighed softly, her kiss doing more to diffuse his anger than all of his pacing. 

“I won’t have someone question me regarding the three of us. I know people will look at the two of you and wonder what the hell you’re doing with an old man like me. But this is important to me, more than I thought possible,” he confessed. “I need you, and I need Wes. What I don’t need is one of your friends accusing me of not doing my duty to the two of you.”

“And we need you.” She rested her head against his, her hands slipping down to his shoulders. “He’s not going to question us anymore. He’s not going to question you. If he’s seen what’s in you, then he knows and he wouldn’t dare. Besides, I’d get him first if he were to even think about it.”

“My protector,” Giles remarked dryly. “So are you meant to protect me from all your pushy demon friends?” he joked, knowing his purpose wasn’t to protect himself from Lorne’s prying but to protect Lorne from his temper.

“Thank you,” he whispered, hugging her tightly. “Now maybe we should get back out there before your friend thinks I’m arming for attack.”

Out in the main room, Lorne looked down at him bowl of ice cream, then over at Wesley. “I really am sorry. I had no idea what had happened between you three. But—I’m glad that you have someone who cares so deeply about you two. You deserve that sort of loyalty and love, scruffy bear. Both of you do.”

As Giles came out of the bedroom with Fred, he saw Wesley passing a note to the demon before looking up and giving him a reassuring smile.

Rupert is a good man who has had to make some tough decisions. He loves fiercely and protects those he loves with everything in him. Try not to be so hard on him. He’s just worried about us as well.

Lorne nodded as he read the note, wondering if Wesley realized just how right he was about those tough decisions, then looked over at Giles and Fred, seeing how she had her arm wrapped through his. “I—uh...I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean for you to think I was attacking you. Guess I’ve lost my tact recently with everything that’s been going on, so I don’t blame you for—you know. And I won’t say a word. I promise on everything that I still hold decent and honorable in my miserable little life.”

“Well, now that that little unpleasantness is out of the way,” Giles responded, trying to play off the fact that he at least wanted to punch the demon just once. “Why don’t you tell us what kind of hell is going on at the Hyperion? Not that I give a flying fig about Angel – wouldn’t care if he were to suddenly burst into flames. But it’s easier to look out for these two if I know where all the potential threats are coming from.”

Sighing, Lorne sat down and stirred his spoon through the ice cream. “Angel’s turned to dark magic in an attempt to get Connor back, and he’s turning the whole hotel into Dark Palace Central. He keeps trying to get Cordy to try some of her newfound demon powers to help him, but she doesn’t know the first thing about what she can do with those, so of course, she can’t, and that’s just making things worse because it causes them to argue. Gunn’s just sort of there, but he’d probably kick my butt if he knew I was here. The atmosphere there is just—I had to get out of there. I’ve wanted to get out of there for days. I’m afraid that if this keeps up we’re going to see the return of Angelus.”

“Bloody idiot!” Giles cursed, his eyes meeting Wesley’s.

Both of them probably understood better than the others the dangerous game Angel was playing. His heart was sad for Cordelia, but she had made her choice, and her blind faith in the vampire would surely cost her.

“Don’t go back there,” he ordered Lorne. “Stay with someone else if you can, but if Angel is turning to black magicks, it’s only a matter of time before this blows up in his face.” He walked over to the table to collect Wesley’s translation of the Niazian Scroll. He passed the notebook over to the demon. “I think you should see this. Wes was right – Connor is still in danger from Angel.”

Lorne took the notebook and read what it said there, his eyes going wide as the ice cream bowl slipped from his hand. Fred managed to jump forward and catch it before it fell to the floor and put it on the coffee table before sitting down next to Wesley and taking his hand. She could see Lorne’s lips moving as he read the translation over and over and over again.

“Angelus is going to be back? I’m definitely not going back to the hotel now. I have a friend I can stay with instead.” He shook his head and looked at Wesley. “I’m so sorry, peach fuzz. I’m so sorry you ended up in the middle of this. But...does that mean that Connor will...? He’s still in that god forsaken hellhole. Does this mean Angel’s going to get him back?”

"No," Giles said, adamantly. "Angel is not getting him back, we are." He looked at Lorne carefully. "I suppose it doesn’t matter if you know or not. It isn’t as if they can call you into court as a witness, plus Wesley and I are also going to need an important favor when the time comes."

He motioned to the piles of books. "I called in some favors at the Watcher’s Council for resources to discover a way into Quor’Toth. As soon as we find the way, Wesley and I will be going in after Connor. We’re bringing him back. And before you ask, no, we aren’t involving Angel at any point. If he still poses a threat to the boy, it isn’t safe. The Council will be providing documents to prove that the male child Connor is the offspring of Wesley Wyndam-Pryce and Winifred Burkle." Giles noted the worried look on Fred’s face and smiled sadly. "The favor we’ll need is while we’re in Quor’Toth, we want someone to stay with Fred so that she isn’t alone. Other than that, I suggest you keep your head down. There is a storm brewing, and the three of us will be skirting it as close as possible. I’d hate for you to be caught in our wake."

Lorne felt as though his entire head were being squeezed in a vice and his horns snapped off one by one. He looked over at Fred, seeing the pleading in her eyes. Even though he hadn’t experienced it first hand, he knew about Angelus, the nastiness he had caused and the lives he had taken. Angel didn’t know, but he had seen it when he had sung. The soul simply covered the vampire demon inside and suppressed it – it didn’t get rid of it. Song allowed him to see everything inside Angel, just like it had with Giles and Fred and Wesley and everyone else he had read in his life, and he had seen those things.

So when Giles told him that Angelus was still a threat to Connor, he believed him. He believed him because Wesley had risked everything he had for it and because he knew that Giles wouldn’t lie to him about something like this and because of the look in Fred’s eyes.

“You have my support any way you need it in this, buttercup,” he told her softly, reaching out and taking her hand. She gave him a grateful smile, holding his hand between both of hers to her chest. He looked up at Giles and Wesley. “I don’t want anything more happening to that little boy, so if this is what needs to be done, then I’ll do what I can to help.”

"You’ll have to leave us a way of contacting you," Giles responded. "Today was only the first day of going through the things the Council sent. Fred and I have called a stop to it for the night, though, because Wesley is still healing." He smirked at the man in question. "And we both know that if we let him, he’d work himself to death." He grinned when Wesley blushed.

"The answer is there, I can feel it. And we’ll find it soon. Regardless of when we find it, we’re not leaving before the end of the week." He saw the look on Wesley’s face and shook his head. "No, I want this boy back too, but you’ve already put your life on the line for him twice, and I am in no hurry to discover if third time is a charm." He saw Wes was about to protest and cut him off, "It’s either that, or I go alone – take your pick. Because I will knock you out if that’s what it takes to keep you here."

Fred released one of her hands from Lorne’s and reached over to rest it on Wesley. “He’s right, Wesley. You shouldn’t go until you’re better. That book I read said, ‘Don’t go there.’ And that Sahjahn apparently said it was the darkest of the dark worlds. I don’t want you going unless you’re healed and ready, and I don’t want Rupert going alone either. You two ending up dead isn’t going to help Connor, and I don’t want to lose the men I love.”

Wesley sighed, knowing in his heart they were only looking out for his best interests. But he was determined to right the wrong he had inflicted on that little boy. Giving a resigned sigh, he looked down at the notepad in his hands. He smiled gently, giving his fingers a little wiggle under Fred’s before pulling them away so he could scribble on it before turning it toward Rupert.

Fine. End of the week, he wrote and smiled when Giles stepped forward to envelope both of them in a hug. 

"Thank you," Giles whispered, bestowing a gentle kiss on each of them before stepping back. He turned toward Lorne, his green eyes unsure of the offer he was about to make. "I know Wesley and Fred like having you here. We’re done for the night, but you’re more than welcome to join us on the other research sessions."

“Me and research? I don’t think that’s such a good idea. You need me to read people, I’m your demon, but me and books? Not as much so. I almost set fire to one of Wesley’s books one time, so unless you want me here to make tea and generally make a nuisance of myself, I probably should give it a pass.” He stood up and pulled his hand from Fred’s to run it along her temple momentarily before kissing her on the forehead. “I’ll be here for you when you need me, though.”

He then turned and looked at Wesley and Giles, something coming to mind that might allow him to help them in a different way. “Tell you what – I’ll take this week to check into a few things. You said that Angelus is coming back? I’ll see if any of my Caritas regulars might have heard something about our favorite law firm or any other group planning to bring him out somehow. Might not be able to stop it, but at least we’d have a heads up before it happens.”

Giles smiled at Fred, in a way happy with Lorne’s presence. He knew Fred loved both him and Wesley, a woman like her was so sincere in her feelings. It was one of the things he adored about her. But having Lorne here, he got the feeling it made her feel not so isolated from everything she thought had been good and safe. He winked at her before letting the Ripper smile cross his face. 

"Or I could call my new friend Lilah and find out what she’s got her sticky little fingers into," he smirked, trying to make Fred smile. He watched as Wesley wrote something on the pad quickly and passed it too him. 

I REALLY wish I would have seen you put her in her place, he pouted. Giles chuckled, stepping forward and lovingly running a hand through the other man’s now short hair. 

"You will if she dares show her face here again. I think I made my point this time, but Miss Morgan doesn’t seem the type to give up easily," he replied, consoling his lover.

Fred chuckled at Ripper’s grin, remembering what he had done to the Bitch Queen Lawyer of the Universe, and knew exactly what Wesley’s note had had to have said. He had definitely missed one of the best shows to be put on anywhere, and she had to admit, it would be fun to see him do it again. She had no doubt that Rupert was right and that Lilah would probably darken their doorstep again.

Lorne shook his head with low chuckle. “No one should ever cross you, muffin,” he said to Giles, rubbing his arm again at the memory. “I’m glad you’re the one taking care of them.”

Turning to Fred, he gave her a hug and a kiss goodbye, then turned to Wesley, hugging him as well and then looking him up and down once he stepped back. “The look suits you, scruffy bear. I definitely vote you keep it, especially since it drives those two wild.”

Giles laughed at the demon’s comment on Wesley’s new haircut, especially when the younger man blushed. "We told you! But no, you don’t believe those that love you," he pouted as ran his fingers through the man’s hair. "Very sexy if you ask me." His pout turned into a grin when Wes snorted and rolled his eyes.

Lorne winked at both of them before reaching into his pocket to pull out a couple of business cards and flip through them until he found the one he was looking for – one for a telephone psychic. He handed the card over to Giles.

“That’s my friend Aggie – I’ll be staying with her. She’s always said I could crash with her if I needed to, so I’ll finally be taking her up on the offer. When you need me, give her a call and tell her you’re trying to reach me. I’ll get the message. If I find anything out in the meantime, I’ll call.” He then crossed over to the front door. “I’ll stay in touch and stay away from Darkness Central. Just be careful, all three of you.”

"Always," Giles replied to Lorne’s comment. He would always look after his lovers, no matter what the cost. He turned to face Lorne as he was standing in the doorway. "You keep your head down; I’ll worry about these two."

“Will do. I’d like to keep it on permanently anyway.” He waved to them and opened the door to step outside. “See you three later.”

Fred followed him over and closed the door once he was gone, locking it, throwing the bolt and putting the chain on. She stood there for a moment, thankful that he had agreed to stay with her when Wesley and Giles left for Quor’Toth because she really didn’t want to face the time without them, waiting for them to return, by herself. Then she turned around and walked over to her two guys and put her arms around them to hug them. They had another ally in all this, and that was a good thing.

“I don’t know about you, but I think I’m ready to go to bed. It’s been a long day.”

"Absolutely." Giles put his hands on Wesley’s shoulders and guided him toward the bedroom. "Come on, Sweet Prince, you’re still healing and need your rest."

He sat Wes down on the bed and took a knee in front of him. He had to stifle his own body’s reaction to the memory of what had happened the last time he was in this position. "I want to take a look before we turn in." He gingerly peeled away the tape pulling the dressing away. He found himself wincing in sympathy when Wes did. Giles frowned, the scar was still angry and red, and his heart ached for the pain Wesley must be in. But it did look better than it had.

"It looks better since I started putting the Neosporin on it. Why don’t you sleep with your bandage off tonight, give it some air," he suggested. He noticed the way his lover tensed and understood his trepidation. He stood silently, and turned off the bedroom light, blanketing the room in darkness. "Even though it doesn’t matter to Fred and me – we love you scars and all – we’ll leave the lights off."

Fred couldn’t help but smile in the darkness. Giles was right – it didn’t matter to her whether he had the scar or not, but if it would make him feel more comfortable, so be it.

She decided that since they all needed their sleep, her nightgown would probably be a very good idea – less chance of causing temptation. So she hurried back into the living room and pulled it from her bag before returning to the bedroom once she had changed. She felt her way over to the bed and sat down on the edge, just able to make out the other two figures in the room.

“Wesley still in the middle?” she asked. She definitely hoped Rupert’s bed in Sunnydale was bigger.

There was a rustling of clothes as both men stripped down. Giles guided Wesley down in the center of the bed, frowning when he protested lightly. 

"All injured people sleep on their back in the center," he said, not willing to give an inch.

He crawled into bed on the left side, knowing that if they woke up in the light of day, he would react better facing Wesley’s scar. It wasn’t that he was worried about Fred. He knew the woman loved Wesley, no matter what. But it was human nature, and her gawking might upset him. He had purposely been the one to change Wesley’s bandage to spare both of them.

"Good Lord, I cannot wait to get back to Sunnydale, where we can share my King Size," he remarked. He lifted his head to look at Wesley in the dark. "You do realize it is only because I adore both of you that I am willing to sleep with my arse hanging off the edge of this bed." He smirked before kissing him goodnight then stayed up to collect his kiss from Fred.

Fred chuckled as she leaned over Wesley to kiss Rupert. “We do appreciate it,” she told him, reaching over to run her hand through his hair when their lips met. A smile crossed her face once they parted, and then she shifted so she could give Wesley a kiss as well. Instead of his hair, though, her hand found his in the dark, grasping it tightly.

They didn’t let go of each other, though, as she pulled back and settled down next to him on her side. Their hands rested on Wesley’s stomach, and a moment later, Rupert’s larger one covered both of theirs.

“Goodnight,” she whispered to both of them.

Giles listened carefully in the dark to their small noises as they settled. He had meant every word he had said earlier. He would protect these two with his life – in every way possible. He waited for the sound of even breathing to level out. Wesley dropped off first, as expected, and it wasn’t until he heard Fred give herself over to slumber that he allowed his own eyes to close.

 

*****


End file.
